Where I Belong
by Lady Bern
Summary: Okay Final chapter for real this time. Ryoko sees something that makes her leave Earth for the comforts of space. But now that she's there what will she do with herself? NOT a RT! Bit angst in beginning.
1. Where I Belong

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. My sex slave (He knows who he is). If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore. 

Okay here's the deal: This is based on Tenchi in Tokyo. Only differences is everyone appeared based on Tenchi Muyo. So Washu is Ryoko's mother and creator, there are no crystals, but there are Ryoko's gems, and Ryo-ohki belongs to Ryoko. You don't like it too damn bad! (I apologize for any outburst. PMS.) And for those who are waiting for me to update Most Dangerous Creature.... I kinda have writer's block for that.

Where I Belong

Ryoko sat slouched in her chair at Ryo-ohki's controls. Her hand clenched tightly around the neck of a half-empty bottle of saki with her ring and little fingers tapping the glass in slowly rhythmic drums. She starred vacantly at the stars beyond Ryo-ohki's window. Those bright lustrous stars that made everything else around them seem insignificant. She had come to space to think, to clear her head of all her problems but they sustained. Each driving back into her mind with vengeance. 

*********

It had all happened two nights ago...Ryoko laid on the roof staring out at the beautiful waxen full moon glowing down on her. It was a lovely warm summer night, made perfect with a gentle breeze keeping her cool. _People who sleep during the night don't know what they're missing. _Ryoko thought with a sigh. 

_It would be better if I had a little snack._ She thought sinking through the roof to the floor then floated -so not to disturb those who slept at night- into the kitchen. 

Ryoko had her head in the refrigerator trying to reach the mayonnaise and honey mustard to complete her masterpiece club sandwich when she heard a small noise coming from the living room.

_Maybe it's Ayeka coming down for a midnight snack. Hee hee, I'll just hide in the walls until she comes in. And when she does I'll scare the prissiness right out of her._ Ryoko thought as she peered around the kitchen door. 

It wasn't Ayeka as she had thought but Tenchi. _What's Tenchi doing up this late?_ Ryoko asked herself. She watched as Tenchi sneaked down the stairs barely making a sound. He looked up towards the rafter searching for something. _Is he looking for me?_ Ryoko wondered. Thanks to the fact that it was too dark save a few bright beams of moonlight and his eyes were not adjusted to the dark, Tenchi did not notice that the shadow of the pillow he saw wasn't Ryoko. Cautiously Tenchi crept through the living room until he made his way blindly out the door.

That wasn't like Tenchi at all. _What is he up to, that he has to sneak around in the dark?_ Ryoko wondered as she silently floated into the living room. She looked up at her rafter. _He wanted to make sure I was up there asleep. Tenchi really doesnt know me, if he did he would know I don't sleep much at night._ That small comprehension caused Ryoko to feel heavy with sorrow and loneliness.

Shrugging off the sensation Ryoko began to follow after Tenchi. She teleported herself onto the porch trying to find a small trace or trail of the direction Tenchi had disappeared in. She looked back and forth finding him nowhere in sight.

Taking a deep breath Ryoko began to rely on the warrior in her. The fighter, the demon, and hunter she was with pride. She use to love the game of the hunt, until she was forced to kill those she hunted for Kagato. It was almost animalistic the way she did it all; the way she could focus in on the faintest sound, catch the scent in a faint breeze. With her ears pert she heard Tenchi's shoes crush the grass and heard his excited breath as he ran. Ryoko turned her head in the direction of the lake and Funaho. 

Gottcha Tenchi dear. Ryoko smiled as she walked towards Funaho. However when she got to the stepping stones she didn't find Tenchi. Ryoko placed her fist on her hips. Where are ya Tenchi? Ryoko asked aloud flying out over the water until she was almost beyond Funaho. 

That was then she heard a small noise she could not quite place but knew it was human. Slowly she turned to see a sight that would shatter a lover's soul.

Ryoko closed her eyes tightly but the image was burned into her mind. Tenchi was standing behind Funaho ...kissing Ayeka. If it was a simple kiss perhaps she could have thought nothing of it, but no it was one of pure love and passion.

Whispered Ryoko in meek broken voice. She felt something tingeing at the corners of her eyes. But she did not move to investigate what it was. She stared on at the oblivious couple until her tears blurred her sight. The salty bitter tears began to flow from her eyes down the contours of her face dropping into the water causing the still reflection of the moon to ripple. This had happened before, before when she had witness Tenchi and Sakuya on the school roof in Tokyo. Even now Tenchi doesn't know she saw it all. She remembered wandering aimlessly through the busy streets of Tokyo trying to comprehend what had just happened before her eyes, trying to figure out why he choose Sakuya over her. She recalled how she felt so numb and broken; Kagato use to do that to her but it felt completely different. As if her heart and soul had been ripped apart by careless hands.

She bit her lip; uncaringly drawing blood and letting it flow over her tongue. For some reason the metallic coppery taste of her own blood soothed her, like the brief console chocolate could give, it took her mind away from the pain for a concise moment by giving her a different pain. 

Choking down a cry Ryoko teleported away unnoticed. She had to go someplace private where no one could hear her cry. She wouldn't let them see her like that, they couldn't. The last thing she wanted was their pity.

Ryoko was surprised at herself for not noticing sooner that Tenchi had made his choice. Tenchi had been acting very strange since he came back from Tokyo. As was Ayeka. Ayeka no longer started fights or rise to the occasion to whenever Ryoko made any type of comment regarding herself or the princess. She didn't notice their secret glances, or the cheesy grins they gave each other. As they say love is blind. 

Ryoko reappeared just outside Earth's atmosphere. It is known that in space no one can hear you scream because there is no air for sound to travel on. Ryoko was about to test that for herself. Taking a breath through trembling lips Ryoko released pain of her broken heart in a desolate scream. 

If anyone else had been with Ryoko, they would have seen the area around her wrinkle, like a ripple in a pond. The brokenhearted Ryoko had just defied the laws of science. 

When her cries of pain had creased her body faded away, space was cold and empty, not exactly where she wanted to be, she had to be someplace else.

***

The pint-sized fiery magenta haired scientist sat on her floating cushion recording the results of her latest experiment when she felt an acute pain in her chest. Washu stopped in her work, her fingers suspended motionless above the keys of her laptop. 

What was that? She wondered. She waited a few moments more to see if the pain would return. But she felt nothing but a lingering sting. 

Washu shrugged her shoulders. Must be heartburn. Washu concluded proceeding on with her work. Then it came with full force, knocking her backward from her seat. She felt as if someone had just rammed her in the chest. It began as a dull pain yet became acute farther on wavering back and forth between the two, leaving her feeling completely numb. 

Slowly Washu pulled herself onto her feet. What happened? Ryoko? What's happened to you? Asked Washu with labored breath. In all her being she had never felt such pain come from her daughter. 

She closed her eyes messaging her temples. There was so much pain to get through to reach Ryoko. Ryoko, what's happened to you? Washu asked. Her maternal instincts pushed aside the scientist in her. Her daughter, not here creation, needed her. Something or someone had caused her extreme pain and she needed to be there for her. 

Ryoko! Ryoko where are you? Washu asked her concern causing her to panic. An image of Ryoko crying in a dark cold place popped into her mind. Her mind raced with all the placed around the Masaki home that was cold and dark and solitary, all at the same time a place where Ryoko felt belonged to her alone. Then it came to her, the cave. 

***

Washu slid down the tomb entrance to the cold shallow pool beneath. She called looking around. Ryoko sat on hands and knees bent over the edge of the glowing pool surface crying. The glowing light of the pool sent rippling effects on the wall each time Ryoko's tears fell into the water. Seeing her daughter in such a vulnerable state made tears come to Washu's eyes. Washu's child-like body swiftly converted to her adult self. She reached her hand out to Ryoko's jerking shoulders. 

Ryoko spun around at the touch of Washus hand on her shoulder. She wasn't going to let her see her this way. She knew Washu would tease her, that or pity her for being the fool once again.

Washu looked into Ryoko's fragile golden eyes. Ryoko what happened? Washu asked. 

The tears once again formed in Ryoko's eyes. Her nose wrinkled up twice as she sniffed just before she cried out throwing herself into Washu's arms. She could not tell Washu what she had seen; her words were choked in her loud sobs. Finding no other way of telling her mother what had happened she sent the memory to Washu by way of the mental link they shared.

Washus eyes widened with shock at what she had seen. Oh Ryoko. Washu said holding Ryoko's head close to her heart. Slowly she rocked her back and forth as she soothed back Ryoko's soft spiky mane and wiped away her tears. For the first time since she was free from Soja Washu was acting like Ryoko's mother. 

Once Ryoko's tears had diminished Washu carefully helped her onto her feet. Come on. Let's get out of this place. She whispered. Ryoko only sniffled nodding her head in agreement. Washu teleported them both into her bedroom in her lab. 

Washu helped Ryoko to sit down on the queen-sized bed with emerald green bedding. She rarely slept much like Ryoko. She stayed up long hours of the night working on her experiments only to catch a few moments of sleep to refresh herself. Ryoko felt so exhausted that she didn't care to notice where she was, all she wanted to do was lay down and escape if only a moment from the harsh bite of reality. 

Drink this. It will help you get to sleep. Washu said handing Ryoko a small cup of clear liquid. Breathing deeply Ryoko took to cup and downed the liquid, uncaring if it should be another experiment. She no longer cared about anything that happened to herself. All she wanted to do was sleep. 

Ryoko yawned as the effects of the liquid kicked in. That's right Ryoko, just go on and sleep. Washu whispered as she helped Ryoko to lay back. We'll think of something together in the morning. Washu said tucking Ryoko into the bed giving her a small kiss on the forehead.

Thanks mom. Ryoko said as she drifted away into a deep sleep.

***

All through her sleep Ryoko wondered when it all had happened. And why she didn't notice. She remembered the week that Tenchi returned home from Tokyo. Everything seemed crazy, just the way it was meant to be. She and Tenchi were sitting on a lofty tree limb of one of the taller trees that gave them a clear view of the glistening lake. 

Ryoko sat with her chin resting on her knees, mauling over something troubling her. Hey Tenchi?

Tenchi asked.

Sakuya was a shadow of Yugi right? So doesn't that mean she will become Sakuya when she grows up? Ryoko asked.

I don't know. Said Tenchi.

Well what if she does? What are you going to do Tenchi? Ryoko asked turning her head in Tenchi's direction.

Tenchi turned towards Ryoko. I never thought about it. He said.

Ryoko stretched out her legs so that they hung stiffly before her. Haha! Don't get me wrong I'm not jealous of her. Ryoko laughed kicking her stiff legs up and down. So you had a fling; I'm a grown up woman I can handle it. After all these things happen, it's natural. She said treating it like a joke.

Tenchi smiled, I'm glad you have a good attitude about it. Tenchi said turning forward once again.

Ryoko appeared centimeters from his face. For a moment the she stared into Tenchi's chocolate brown eyes. I was totally lying. I can't bear to think about it. She said in a deep serious voice. I need you to kiss me now. Tenchi only stared at her. You don't think I'm good enough? Ryoko asked slightly amused. 

Tenchi didn't move he only looked into her eyes. It was then Washu popped her meddlesome face into their business followed by everyone else. The chance of a lifetime was ruined perhaps ever to happen again. What bothered Ryoko was that Tenchi didn't even move. He didn't reject her or kiss her as she had requested. He had hesitated, making her feel that was wasnt good enough for him. Was it then? Was he already in love with Ayeka then? Or was his mind already made up just about **_not_** loving **_her_**?

***

The next morning everyone sat down at the table eating breakfast. The blue haired princess took notice that there was still an large amount of food left on the table then realized a certain space pirate was missing. Has anyone seen Ryoko? Sasami asked. 

Tenchi looked around the table to notice the lithe cyan haired woman was absent. She might be on the roof. He said in an uneasy voice. 

No, Ryoko is in my lab. Washu said with closed eyes as she at her bowl of rice.

She is? Why ever would she be in there? Ayeka asked maintaining her regal poise although she felt the same apprehension as Tenchi. 

She was very tired and worn down last night. I'm not sure why. Washu lied. But she's in my lab now recuperating.

Maybe she had a bad night. Katsuhito suggested, he too all knowing of the situation.

Yeah that's it. Tenchi said placing himself into denial.

Washu felt like stabbing Tenchi with her chopsticks. She instead suppressed the growl growing in her throat, Sasami I'll take a plate to Ryoko so shell have something to eat while shes getting better, okay? Washu said already piling Ryoko's favorite foods onto a plate.

***

When Washu returned to her lab she found Ryoko in the live specimens dimension of the lab her arms folding and her eyes staring blankly at the mass tank. Even without the use of their mental link Washu could tell her mind was heavy with contemplation. 

They are worried about you, Ryoko. Washu began sitting the plate down. The reflection of Ryokos golden amber eyes focused on the reflection of Washu. Tenchi, the fool, and Ayeka are a bit uneasy. I think they fear you may have caught them last night. Washu said. 

Ryoko continued to look in silence at the child-bodied scientist that claimed to be her creator and mother. She looked back and forth at herself to find shared appearances, if any. Washu noticed this and turned away, Ryoko wasn't in the mood to be bothered with. Washu sighed in defeat as she headed towards the main lab the brighter area.

I use to be upset with the way you acted more like a mother to a stranger than to me. Ryoko said talking to the reflection of Washu's back on the aquarium tank. You saw how you were with baby Taro. Ryoko said watching as Washu turned. Same thing with Zero when she took my place, you was kinder to her than with me, never. Ryoko said.

Washu felt a small tinge of guilt. Washu took a breath to explain her actions, but found she couldn't even explain it to herself. 

You even subjected me in your twisted experiments Washu. Ryoko said in a deep solemn voice. You left me, **alone**, in a cold dark place. Cold and dark just like that cave. Ryoko said wrapping her arms around herself as if to fight a chill.

Ryoko no longer looked at Washu but focused on one spot as if seeing something that wasn't even there. Katsuhito says I was traumatized by my imprisonment there. She laughed bitterly at herself and shook her head in disgust at her weakness. Kagato had taught her through pain that all her weaknesses were substandard and unwanted. That she was a machine and if she was weak and did not please him he would throw her away. How could you do that to me? Ryoko asked. Washu still could not find the words that could answer hers or Ryokos question. 

You keep telling me to call you mom. As I know a real mother is someone who cares about you, who is there for you. Ryoko said. When you left me alone in here that night I called out for you. Broken and scared I cried for you! Ryoko said her fierce golden eyes staring at Washu with resentment. And you! You never came! Ryoko shouted spinning around to face Washu with her finger pointed accusingly. I had to fight my way out of that contraption of yours! It took me almost a month to recover! Ryoko closed her eyes as the tears of anger began to weld. The reason why I refuse to call you my mother isn't because I don't remember you. She said opening her eyes. But because you don't treat me like your daughter, you treat me just like Kagato did, a toy, your experiment! Ryoko said shaking with anger.

Ryoko remembered the moment Washu had pulled her astral form to Soja's mirrored side. The moment she was awakened Washu was already inspecting her like some old car. Then she did something inexcusable, to prove she shared connection with Ryoko she revealed all her feelings she held for Tenchi in front of Mihoshi. Those were her own private thoughts how dare she bare it for all to hear. Then there was the time she did the most unforgivable thing, after the family watched over little Taro and Washu told everyone about her past then while flirting with Tenchi announced she was pregnant with his child.

Ryokos words each stabbed into Washu like red-hot knives. When Ryoko compared her to Kagato she felt something within her break. Washu began her voice firm. I am aware of all of this. Last night was the first time in years I've actually acted like your mother. I can not excuse myself for the way I have treated you Ryoko. When you assimilated with Zero I was expecting you to be more open with me, but then your feelings for me didn't change at all like I wanted. Washu said. Washu looked up at Ryoko. But it isn't entirely my fault. You share the blame as well Ryoko; you never gave me the chance to be your mother. Washu indicated.

Ryoko looked at Washu then closed her eyes. Washu was right; she couldn't just place all the blame on her. Fine then we'll start over. Ryoko said. 

No, we can't start over Ryoko. That is impossible. All we can do is forgive each other for whatever wrong we had caused each other. Do you think you are prepared to do that Ryoko? Washu asked hope steadily raising in her voice.

Ryoko took a moment to think to herself. _To think it didn't take Zero to get me to open up to everyone but for Tenchi to break my heart a few times._ Ryoko sighed. Don't expect me to call you mom right off the bat. Ryoko said a small fanged smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. 

Washu smiled as well. But it's a start. She said. 

***

After Ryoko had left the lab later that day she had decided to leave. What made Ryoko make such a decision to leave was that Tenchi was still pretending. He was still leading her on, giving her false hope that perhaps he would choose her, that one day he would tell her it was she he loved. And that broke her heart even more. It was unfair to both herself and Ayeka, though she didn't want to admit she was thinking about her rival's feelings. It was unfair that she should be led on while Tenchi and Ayeka keep their relationship in the dark.

Ryoko called out to Washu as she and Ryo-ohki entered the lab. 

Yes Little Ryoko? Washu asked turning away from her work. 

I wanted to tell you that I'm leaving. Ryoko said. 

Washu almost tripped over herself to get to Ryoko. But why? Is this because of Tenchi? She asked. It is isn't it? Just wait Ryoko, I'll toss him and Ayeka into a dimension where they'll be repaid for the pain they've cost you. Washu said. Better yet I'll turn them into water sprites, even better. 

Ryoko said smiling kindly down on her mother. I want Tenchi to be happy. That's all I ever really wanted. But Tenchi won't be truly happy as long as I'm here preventing him from openly loving Ayeka.

Washu nodded with tears in her eyes. You're being very mature about this Ryoko. Ryo-ohki mayied in agreement.

That wasn't true, Ryoko wanted to scream to fight to do whatever it took to get Tenchi. But Tenchi had made his choice and it wasn't her and throwing a fit wasn't going to change it, if anything it might upset him.

So what are you going to do Ryoko? Washu asked. Where are you going to go?

I don't know. Ryoko admitting floating in the air with her legs crossed. 

Ryo-ohki bound into Ryoko's lap meowing. No Ryo-ohki! Believe me you don't want to come with me. Think of Sasami. Ryoko said to Ryo-ohki in hopes of changing the cabbit's mind. 

You're going to need a friend up there Ryoko. Washu said.

Ryoko looked back and forth from Washu to Ryo-ohki. They both looked on her with pleading eyes that seemed almost impossible to refuse. Ryoko sighed in defeat. Once I get settled you're coming right back. Ryoko said holding a stiff finger before Ryo-ohki's nose. 

Ryoko turned to face her mother. Well I'm going to need for you to help me make a good-bye note. Ryoko said.

***

Everyone sat gathered in the Masaki living room awaiting the important announcement Washu had to tell everyone. 

Now that everyone's here let's begin. Washu said sitting down a small disk-like object. 

Wait Little Washu Ryoko isn't here yet. Sasami pointed out. 

Washu frowned as she looked the young princess in the eyes. How could she just tell her that her friend had left? I'm sorry Sasami but Ryoko isn't coming. She said. Katsuhitos brows lifted above his glasses at the solemn tone in Washus voice. 

But shouldn't she be here as well? Ayeka asked.

Yeah, if you say this is important shouldn't Ryoko be here to hear this? Tenchi asked. 

Washu cast both Tenchi and Ayeka a dark look as she opened the disk.

A small transparent hologram of Ryoko appeared before everyone. Hello everyone...well actually this is good-bye. Everyone took in a loud breath of air. By the time you view this I will no longer be with you guys. I know that if I had done this in person you would have convinced me to stay, but I dont belong on Earth anymore. I have to... no I want to go back to space. I cant explain why, you might figure it out for yourselves. The hologram of Ryoko said. Farewell everyone. I will miss you all. With that the image smiled sadly sweet just seconds before the image of Ryoko faded. 

Sasami sniffed twice before the tears began to flow. B-but why did she leave? She asked. 

Ayeka hugged her sister knowing the answer to her question. We can't be sure why right now Sasami. She said her eyes drifting towards Tenchi.

Washu how could you just let her go? Tenchi asked. 

Washu sighed ignoring the fact that Tenchi had forgotten to say Little' with the Washu. Ryoko is my daughter and I respect her wishes to be left alone right now.

But how could you let her go out there alone? Noboyuki asked joining in on the conversation.

Ryoko isn't alone; she has Zero inside of her. And it was hassle in itself just to convince her to take Ryo-ohki along. 

She took Ryo-ohki too? Sasami asked. 

Ryoko will send Ryo-ohki back soon. Washu said hoping to relieve Sasami of some of her despair. If anyone needs me I'll be in my lab. Washu said desiring the sanctuary of her sterile lab.

It took a few hours before everyone was able accept the fact that Ryoko had left. Tenchi had slowly put himself to sleep by questioning if it was his actions that had cause his lifelong friend to leave.

The digital numbers on Tenchi's alarm clock read two a.m. as Ryoko slowly slid the door of Tenchi's room open. There was something she had to do before she left for real, one more thing that just had to be done. Ryoko silently prayed that she had the strength to go through with it. 

Ryoko slowly crept over to the figure laying in Tenchi's bed with an ignited energy sphere in her hand. The orange-red glow challenged the darkness casting away the shadows on Tenchi's sleeping face. _This is it Ryoko. Just do it quickly and leave before anyone notices._ Ryoko thought to herself as her hands closed down on the sphere changing the form into a small dagger. 

Ryoko slowly lowered the dagger towards Tenchi's face. Good-bye Tenchi. Ryoko whispered her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. Ryoko bent down kissing Tenchi tenderly on the forehead. With that done she distinguished the dagger killing the light. 

***

Come on Ryo-ohki, it's time we left. Ryoko said grabbing Ryo-ohki from Funahos branches.

Ryo-ohki mayied in complaint. You wanted to come with me. Did you actually think I was going to change my mind? Ryoko asked coldly. Ryoko instantly regretted her words, she'll feel sorry about things later but for now she had to get away.

Once Ryo-ohki was in her spacecraft form and Ryoko was aboard she made her fly as quickly as she could away from Earth. 

Ryo-ohki complained at the speed in which they were traveling. Less lip more zip Ryo-ohki! Ryoko had said fighting hard not to turn around and cry at the sight of the shrinking blue planet.

*********

Back in the present Ryoko smiled as she watched a comet streaked across the black velvet space in the distance. _Where am I going and what am I going to do now?_ Ryoko wondered to herself. 

She had been wondering that same question after she had saw Tenchi and Sakuya together on the roof. She was pondering if she should return when she met _him _again. Hotsuma her savior, her redeemer, and her enemy. 

Ryoko whispered recalling that night. 

We can set the whole galaxy on fire Ryoko.' Hotsuma had smiled offering her an escape from the traitorous world she was living in. 

What do you say we get off this planet? You belong up there among the shinning stars.' Hotsuma had told her once. If it weren't for the bitterness she felt she would have thought his statement sweet.

Later...The bioroids were attacking her with a web-maneuver. I don't want your help, just get outta here!' Ryoko shouted blowing away the tentacles. 

Not without you. I need you and you need me.' Hotsuma said dodging the metallic tentacles.

Yeah right like I need a disease.' No one had ever told her that they needed her before. 

Then the bioroids caught her. The bioroids' tentacles were restraining Ryoko. This planet is ruining you. People use to fear you; your name spread terror throughout the entire galaxy!' Hotsuma had said looking down at the scene.

Just shut up!' She didn't want to hear about her past deeds. The destruction she had caused on the behalf of her master Kagato. The fear in everyone's eyes. She never wanted to be feared, not like that, never like that, never period. 

You're a pirate my dear. It's your destiny. What we both want can only be gained by blood, fire, and disaster!' He said with a twinkle in his blue-gray eyes.

You don't know anything about me!' She screamed near tears. She didn't want to go back to that. She still had nightmares of crying voices screaming to be saved in the burning buildings. It all hounded her in her dreams. Those hunting cries where the reason for her nightly insomnia. 

I know that you are wasting yourself on this pitiful little planet while power and glory awaits you out in space.' Hotsuma said. 

I've been there!' Ryoko said breaking free of the bioroids' tentacles. Space is big and empty!' She had once stated. 

So why was she going back? 

The bioroids were holding her down face in the dirt as Ryoko realized she had lost the reason why she wished to stay on Earth. That girl and Tenchi.' She said grabbing a fistful of dirt. I just can't take it!' Her power surged destroying the bioroids. She stood with her breath heavy and the anger flowing through her veins as her hands tightened on the head of a bioroid. 

Well it looks like you just proved my point. You **don't** belong here. Come with me Ryoko.'

Ryoko only looked at her hand. The hand she had just used to crush the bioroid's frame. 

Later with a grave voice she had explained to Hotsuma why she didn't wish to return, why she feared her so-called destiny as he had put it. 

I'll make it different for you Ryoko. I'll show you the wonder and thrills of pirating.' He had guaranteed her. Ryoko looked into his eyes, so full of promise.

Moments later Ryoko and Hotsuma stood on the bridge of Gayain watching the bright Earth slowly drift away. Farewell.' she had said once before.

*** 

Ryoko raised herself from her floating seat. She walked over to the window and sighed as she placed her hand flat on the smooth cold surface. She said once again, this time she was determined not to return.

Are you sure we won't **ever **go back? A voice asked. 

Ryoko slowly turned to see herself still sitting down in the chair. Shut it Zero, I don't need for you to play my conscience right now. Ryoko said wondering when she had split into halves.

Zero frowned as she sat the bottle of saki down then teleported herself to stand next to Ryoko. Are we going to go bid **him **farewell too? She asked. Ryoko nodded her head. Zero only nodded in agreement as she rested her head on Ryoko's shoulder. Very well then.

***

Ryo-ohki came to a stop on a planet frozen with ice and covered with great mounds of snow. We're going to be here for a moment or so. I have something to take care of. Ryoko said to Ryo-ohki, teleporting herself onto the snowy surface of the wintry planet. It had been awhile since she last been to this planet. But she knew her distention by heart. 

Dressed in her white and pink kimono Ryoko walked across the freezing white snow and ice with Ryo-ohki tucked securely in the folds of her arms.

The soft crunch of the snow beneath her feet was a pleasing sound compared to that of the howling wind. The crunch of snow turned into a sharp crack. Ryoko wondered as she took a step back to see a pair of thin framed glasses broken in the snow. 

Okay Ryo-ohki in you go. Ryoko said. Ryo-ohki borrowed her way into Ryoko's top. 

Ryoko carefully began to tightly pack the snow before her together into a pure white headstone that stood about two feet. Carefully with the use of her energy sword Ryoko wrote Hotsuma in kanji on the solid ice surface. She buried Hotsuma's broken glasses four feet beneath the snow in front of the headstone.

Ryoko bent down on her knees with her hands clasped together to pray. I'll forget for now that you tried to kill me. Ryoko said to the gravestone. 

She began to remember Hotsumas handsome smile and his cat like eyes behind those thin rim framed glasses. Ryoko's knees would almost liquefy whenever his eyes would lock with hers and he gave her a smile showing off his fang like teeth. 

Why did you have to turn out to be one of the bad guys? Ryoko asked aloud. I can't believe I allowed you to convince me to return to piracy. Ryoko laughed at herself. Ryo-ohki the things I did for a guy's cute smile. Ryoko sighed deeply. Or just for a cute guy. Damn it Hotsuma, why **did** you turn out to be the bad guy? She asked again in frustration.

Something touched lightly on Ryoko's shoulder. I am honored that you mourn for me my dear.

Ryoko asked as she slowly turned.

TBC.........

Hey everyone there's a button down there I want you to use. You see I thrive on reviews (GOOD REVIEWS!!!). So the more I get the quicker I update. C'mon tell me what you like, what you hate, and what you want to read, I aim to please and upset. So review!


	2. Why I Pretended

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. My sex slave (He knows who he is). If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore.

Why I pretended

Far away from Earth a small plant made of snow and ice rotates isolated on its axis. Beneath the thick sheets of ice and stone lays a deserted base where space pirates once hid their plunder and themselves from the Galaxy Police whenever they came too close for capture. But the cold, dark, and empty place wasn't actually empty, one single soul walked the stone halls alone recalling how he came to be in his current position. 

Love...One simple four-letter word that meant so much, that did so much, that tortured him. Love had done this to him.

When Yugi first created Hotsuma his heart was full of bitterness and coldness that showed an acute chill in his dull blue eyes accompanied by a dark yet charming smirk always playing across his face. 

But that had all changed when he met her. A strong ex-space pirate with a refreshing soul full of a fiery passion that burned deep within her golden cat-like eyes. She wore a mask of stubborn self-centeredness to hide how delicate she really was underneath it all. From time to time she allowed small glimpse of her true self to be revealed but instantly returned the mask leaving him to wonder if the moment had happened at all. 

When Hotsuma began to learn more of the pirate Ryoko the cold bitterness was replaced. A love that was suppose to be pretense upon Yugi's orders became real. 

Love, pain, passion, fear, hate, and confusion forever contradicting the other made him crave for the bittersweet coldness that once consumed him before. At times a desire so overwhelming took over him that he felt he would lose himself. But as Ryoko did he hid it all behind a mask of wit, charm, and an almost arrogant self-confidence. But still a savage longing burned within him that even being near her made his heart beat rampant. 

If he had but just fallen in love that would have been reasonable. But he had fallen madly in love; he had fallen from the stars through the clouds and onto land in a belly flop type of love. 

But Ryoko's heart longed for another, that Earthen boy who so foolishly chosen a shadow over the real creature Ryoko. At times he could tell she was longing to return to Earth, to keep her to himself and obey Yugi he would casually reminded her of how her heart was broken and how they treated her back in the Masaki residence. He knew one day he would not be able to convince her to stay and she will go leaving him behind.

In utter jealousy and anger he attacked the one his heart went out for. And she fought back. 

It surprised Hotsuma everyday since his battle with Ryoko that fateful day that he was still alive. Yugi had underestimated Ryoko's love for Tenchi and he had underestimated her strength and dedication to the foolish human schoolboy.

He remembered seeing her looking down on his beaten body, looking at him with mild hatred and... something else he could not see clearly without his glasses. Then she just walked away believing him dead. She left him alone in the cold snow to go back to Tenchi. 

Hotsuma clutched his fist digging his nails into his palms. Tenchi. Whenever he thought of the boy his blood boiled in anger. The descendent of the Jurai royal family, Tenchi Masaki! That weak schoolboy had stolen the most astounding woman away from him. Ryoko, with her undying devotion made Hotsuma jealous of the undeserving prince.

The alarm system of hideout brought Hotsuma back to the cruelty of the harsh reality. Someone had landed on his rock of frozen ice and timelessness. Maybe it was some fool who forgot to refuel at a station. Or they had to land for some odd reason, but all he knew they might have a ship he could use to get away from his frozen tomb.

*** 

Hotsuma stared in silent shock as he watched a lithe cyan haired beauty dressed in a pink and white kimono trudged through the snow then stop to form a mound. 

'Why is she here? And what is she doing? Is she making a snowman?' Hotsuma asked himself as he walked closer. 

As he approached he saw that she had made a headstone out of ice and had neatly written his name. Ryoko sat on bent knees with her gloved hands clasped together in prayer. As he came closer he could hear her speaking out loud. 

"Why did you have to turn out to be one of the bad guys? I can't believe I allowed you to convince me to return to piracy." She laughed out loud. 

"Ryo-ohki the things I did for a guy's cute smile." She sighed deeply. "Or just for a cute guy. Damn it Hotsuma, why **did** you turn out to be the bad guy?" She asked again in frustration.

Hotsuma smiled at her comments so she did have feelings towards him. He touched his hand to her shoulder. "I am honored that you mourn for me my dear." 

"Hotsuma?" Ryoko asked as she slowly turned. He smiled warmly at her surprised expression. 

Alive. The one she was silently mourning and cursing for his betrayal was standing behind her alive and quiet well. He still had his charming yet arrogant smile, the one she had come to trust only to be deceived. Slowly her opened mouth tuned into a sneer. Ryoko released a feral growl. How dare he be alive when she took the time to make such a thoughtful grave in the memory of their good times together!

Ryoko quickly produced a saber as she phased with amazing speed into her black and red streaked fighting garb.

"Merrow! Me-oow Merow!" Ryo-ohki cried as she struggled out of the neckline of the skintight outfit carelessly scratching Ryoko's chest in the process. 

"Ooow! Ryo-ohki!" A wide-eyed Ryoko cried pulling the cabbit out by the tuff of her neck. Ryo-ohki mayied telling Ryoko that it was her own fault for changing into the tight clothing.

Hotsuma laughed at the two. Sometimes it was so easy to distract Ryoko due to her inquisitive nature. Hotsuma's laughter caused both Ryoko and Ryo-ohki to recall that he was in their presents.

Ryo-ohki hissed at the man as she made her hair stand on ends giving the illusion that she was bigger than what she really was. 

Ryoko, on the other hand, quickly armed herself once again with her orange saber and attacked. 

"Still mad?" Hotsuma asked as he blocked her advance of attack with his own saber glowing bright blue. 

Ryoko growled that he made such light about her anger. In one swift movement she banished her sword and punched Hotsuma directly in the jaw. "I should have known you were alive. All you ever did was lie to me!" Ryoko stated as she attacked again only now she fought aimlessly with aggression hoping that she would land a hit eventually. 

Hotsuma carefully avoided her attacks observing that Ryoko was fighting carelessly, but he did not dare underestimate her fighting skills again. That would be the worse case of deja vu if she should defeat him once again on this rock of snow and ice. 

Ryoko brought her saber up above her head ready to strike down on Hotsuma when he suddenly vanished. Ryoko had little time to be surprised when she felt herself being propelled forward. Down she fell face first into the snow. Hotsuma quickly pinned her arms behind her and sat on her back. "Now that you've gotten that out of your system I would like to explain to you that unlike Sakuya I am not a shadow or an illusion." He said fighting with Ryoko as she struggled beneath him. 

"Oh, then what are you besides a liar?" Ryoko asked skepticism obvious in her voice. 

Hotsuma smiled. "I told you before that we are alike. I, my dear, am a creation just like you." He said releasing her.

From his left came a great cry as Ryo-ohki sailed through the air and bit down on his left wrist. Hotsuma cried out as the cabbit's tiny teeth sunk into his flesh. In pain he stood from Ryoko's back and grabbed the brown rabbit-like creature by the neck pulling it from his wrist.

An orange saber suddenly appeared at his throat. He looked up to see Ryoko's golden eyes glowering at him. "Let her go." Ryoko said slowly in a threatening voice that sent an almost delicious shiver throughout Hotsuma's body. 

Hotsuma carefully sat down the creature Ryoko care so much for in the snow. It hissed once more at him before it bound up onto Ryoko's shoulder.

A stifling silence overcame Hotsuma and Ryoko as they stood barely three feet apart from on another; the only sounds made were the painful moan of the howling wind. Ryoko gave Hotsuma one last look before she turned to leave.

"Wait!" Hotsuma cried out to her. He watched as Ryoko stopped to turn her head in his direction. He himself wasn't sure what excuse he had in mind to get her to stay if only for a second longer, all he knew was that he was prepared to let her walk away from him again. "Mind coming in for some tea?" He asked hoping the offer of warmth in the cold would win him a few moments until he could come up with a better reason.

Ryoko looked down at Ryo-ohki who mewed to her. "Do you have any carrots?" She asked.

***

Ryoko walked through the deserted halls of the base with Hotsuma by her side explaining how it was that he was still about. "After our fight I crawled beaten and wounded back into the base." Hotsuma said. 

Ryoko looked around the cold stone walls of the dark hideout. She suppress the shiver running along her back, the place reminded her of a larger version of her watery tomb in the cave of imprisonment by the hands of Prince Yosho. "Why didn't you leave?" She asked hugging herself.

Hotsuma pushed his glasses up with his middle finger as he laughed softly. "I have nowhere else to go my dear. Yugi lays dormant in a cave until she is mature enough to control her powers, and I have not been redeemed of my crimes as you have."

Ryoko nodded her head slowly. He had a point. Hotsuma ushered her into the dining area that had a homey look to it. Ryoko was grateful that he had rid himself of the Masaki living room and kitchen. That was her past, now she had to figure out her future.

***

Ryoko watched as Ryo-ohki nibbled delighted on the sweet orange vegetable. "Mayi!" The cabbit cried out licking her fuzzy lips before returning to her valued treasure of a carrot. 

Ryoko looked down on her little friend envious of how one simple carrot can give the brown cabbit such content whereas she could never be so happy. Well unless you count the satisfaction she receives from chugging saki.

"So why are you here?" Hotsuma asked placing a hot cup of tea before her. "Besides to say farewell to your only worthy partner?"

Ryoko sipped the tea loudly, a habit she had developed while on Earth to annoy the first princess of Jurai. But now she wouldn't need to anymore. "None of your business." Ryoko took another sip this time less noisy.

Hotsuma's brow lifted above his glasses frame. "Oh?" He asked. "So this has nothing to do with your Tenchi?" He asked.

Ryoko scowled at him. "As I said it's none of your business." She said through clenched teeth.

Hotsuma nodded. "I understand." He said figuring out on his own that her presents was indeed the cause of Tenchi. But what exactly had happened he wasn't about to pressure her out of at the moment.

An awkward silence took over. Ryo-ohki had long since finished her carrot and laid beneath the table napping peacefully. Ryoko slammed the cup to the table breaking it in six pieces. "He chose her! Okay!" Ryoko screamed. 

Silence hovered in the air as Ryoko's hand, still clutched to the broken mug handle, tightened into a fist. Ryoko had thought she was through with her crying but it seems there was still a few more tears within her. "The years of devotion and undying love I pledged to him since the day he was born, and he chose Ayeka over me!" Ryoko shouted the tears rolling down her cheeks.

She opened her hand to reveal the mug handle broken in her bleeding palm. "And worse he pretended as if he had not made up his mind, stringing my heart along as if I stood a chance." The silence that followed was stifling. Ryoko stared at Hotsuma her eyes burning with anger and embarrassment. 

Hotsuma frowned, that foolish boy had no idea how much Ryoko given her heart to him. Perhaps he had no clue how many times he had broke it. And now Ryoko sat before him crying because that boy had finally pushed her too far. If only he could get his hands on Tenchi now he would make him hurt, as Ryoko had been so pained by his indecisions.

Hotsuma slowly stood then in the same slow and silent pace walked around the table towards Ryoko.

Ryoko watched him wondering what he was going to do. Laugh at her for being so foolish? Tell her how sorry he felt for her? The last thing she wanted was pity. She preferred to be laughed at than pitied. She was still wondering when he took her hand and looked down on it.

Their blood was of a deeper red giving it a rich color of dark crimson unlike that bright red of human and Jurain blood. Hotsuma carefully picked the shards of porcelain out of her already healing palm. "That Tenchi," He began his voice tender with understanding. "Doesn't know what kind of a woman he has let slip through his fingers." 

Ryoko watched as Hotsuma began to dab away her blood with a handkerchief he had pulled from his pocket. As he cleaned her wound she felt herself indulging in the moment of having someone take care of her for once. 

Upon realizing this Ryoko pulled her hand away ending the moment. "Thanks." She mumbled bending down to pick up the remaining pieces. She began to wonder if it was all just an act. The way she handled herself as if she could manage anything that came her way single handedly. Self-reliance, that's what she was taught. Survival depended on her physical strength, and pleasing her master. But once she was free of Kagato her overconfident attitude took the place of the need to please Kagato. 

Ryoko disposed of the damaged cup. _We should go now._ She thought to herself. _No, stay you need him._ A small but strong voice said. _Zero, I don't want to use him as a rebound. I can't put him through that kind of pain._ Ryoko said surprised at herself for actually caring for Hotsuma's feelings. _Please Ryoko, Ryo-ohki needs rest you might as well. _Ryoko sighed as she looked down on the cabbit still dozing beneath the table. _Damn you, Zero._ Ryoko thought.

Ryoko looked towards Hotsuma. "Is my room still here or have you destroyed it by now?" Ryoko asked. 

Hotsuma looked up at her with surprise. "Yes it is still intact, are you staying?" He asked careful to keep his joy hidden.

"Yeah," Ryoko said. She pointed down to Ryo-ohki. "Just until she gets enough rest then I'm gone. What about the onsen?" Ryoko asked.

"The same as always." Hotsuma reported.

Ryoko sighed. "Good I think I'll go relax there after a quick catnap." She said walking away towards her room.

Hotsuma waited until he was absolutely sure that Ryoko was gone before he reached under the table and held Ryo-ohki before him. 

"Mayai?" She yawned. 

"Listen I know you can understand me to a point." He said gently to the little cabbit. "I know what I did to Ryoko was wrong I want to make it up to her." He lied, he just wanted her. "But in order for me to do so I need for her to stay with me. Ryoko's only staying here until you regain your strength, can you perhaps pretend to need more rest and stall for me?" Hotsuma asked. 

Ryo-ohki considered Hotsuma's request for a brief moment before she shook her head no. Hotsuma cursed his luck beneath his breath. It was to laugh that his fate with the woman he was so infatuated with rested in the hands or should he say paws of the little cabbit before him. Hotsuma was ready to give in when an idea struck him. "You like carrots do you not?" Hotsuma asked. Ryo-ohki's floppy ears perked at the mention of her beloved orange vegetable. "If you do this for me I'll give you all the carrots I have." Hotsuma said. 

Ryo-ohki carefully thought should she prolong Ryoko's stay with the man she obviously disliked for some carrots? She loved Ryoko, but she knew Ryoko needed to be around people in her fragile state, she needed someone to talk to, to cry to. Finding that her choice would both benefit herself and Ryoko she nodded her head in agreement.

that's it for part two...


	3. Denying the Feeling

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. My sex slave (He knows who he is). If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore.

Thank you TaiFighter! I forgot to tell how much time passed between TIT and my story. I'll jimmy that in somehow.

Denying the Feeling

Ryoko laid relaxed on her back on the queen sized bed, her fingers gently brushing over the teal and gold canopy hanging above her head. She was shocked to find out that her chambers had not been bothered with since her departure, but it was more of a shock to see that Hotsuma had kept it in a clean condition. 

Was he excepting her back? Ryoko thought little of this as she continued to wonder with a bottle in one hand and the other playing against the thin netting above her.

Ryoko thought about how she presented herself, or more likely who she believed she was. She always believed that she was strong. No doubt about that, she was mentally and physically strong, she had to be with what she went through with Kagato. She believed that she was strong, she acted strong and no doubt she was the strongest of all of the girls and men on Earth. Or so she believed. It was amazing to realize that she really wasn't that; it seemed all to be just a mere tendril of a thought to keep her from falling apart or breaking down whenever Tenchi rejected her. 

__

So why did I pretend? Ryoko wondered to herself. _Why do we pretend just to prolong the inevitable?_

"So we can spare ourselves the pain." A soft voice said. 

Ryoko rolled over onto her belly careful not to spill the sweet contents of the bottle. She looked towards the bed end glaring at an exact double of herself seated crossed legged observing her with a kind expression smiling in her eyes. 

"Will you stop doing that?" Ryoko shouted.

***

Hotsuma stood watching Ryoko the faint blue glow of the monitor casting beautiful yet eerie glow over his visage. Watching Ryoko had always been a joy to Hotsuma, there was something about her that made him want to stare at her for hours just to find what it was exactly that made her so attractive. He didn't watch her with perverted thoughts, he admired her too much for that, he just watched her silently in the dark.

Hotsuma removed his glasses to rub his eyes; they must be deceiving him for he saw two beautiful Ryoko's seated on the large bed. The new Ryoko had a more gentle look about her that showed she was not the Ryoko he knew but more as a part of her he wish _his_ Ryoko would show. He quickly activated the sound. "I thought you would be use to this by now, Ryoko." The second said.

"Zero you are always appearing out of nowhere when I least expect you." Ryoko said handing her double the bottle. "You could at least warn me ahead of time." 

"I am so sorry." She said pausing to take a sip from the bottle. "Mmm this is good. He wants you to stay." Zero said looking down at the bottle. "But you already know that, don't you?" She asked shifting her eyes from the bottle to Ryoko. 

Ryoko humph loudly as she sat back against the headboard of the bed. "No. Why should I trust him? He did lie to me and tried to kill me." Ryoko pointed out.

Zero smiled as she gave the bottle back to Ryoko. "Let us go over the evidence shall we? He pretended to be defeated so that you could go back to Tenchi." 

Ryoko took a long swig from the bottle. "No, he pretended to have died because he knew I was going to kill him anyhow." Ryoko said.

"But he still cares for you; I can see it in his eyes. **You** can see it too." Zero stated watching Ryoko carefully.

"As I recall he called me a barbaric brat, who cares only for money, getting drunk and wrecking things." 

"And you weren't acting like one at the time?" Zero asked titling her head to the side. Ryoko glared daggers at her double. Zero only smiled knowingly disregarding Ryoko's glare. "You forget I was with you the whole time. I am always with you."

Ryoko had to admit, if only to herself, that she had indeed treated Hotsuma poorly. At the time she was trying to find something to fill the deep void within her Tenchi had left behind. But could she be blamed that he was sent to be her rebound?

Ryoko teleported herself from the bed to reappear at the door, she turned back towards Zero. "I'm going to get something else to drink do you want anything?" She asked.

Zero held up her hand as she shook her head no. "I'm just going to go back inside. But remember I'm watching you." Once Ryoko was gone Zero repositioned herself so that she sat on her knees. Her gentle golden eyes drifted to the side until she stared directly at the hidden camera. She gave Hotsuma a knowing grin as she winked one eye then vanished from sight.

***

Zero's words had struck Ryoko like daggers in the heart. Had she not admitted to Hotsuma's words before? 

Yes, yes she did. She was in the bath as she recalled the nice lovely bath almost the size of an Olympic pool. She had just overheard Hotsuma talking to someone about her behavior. He spoke of how she was a selfish barbarian, an animal perhaps worse, and an insolent bitch he no longer wanted to deal with. 

She was drifting backward contemplating on how Hotsuma had labeled her. '...You're right about me drinking too much and being selfish...' 

Ryoko scoffed in disgust at herself. After all wasn't it he who blew up Gaiyan thinking that she was inside? Wasn't it he who lured her out into space at to get her away from Tenchi? Wasn't it he who said they should have disposed of her instead of going through such an elaborate plan? 

But if they didn't go through with the plan would either one of them have the feelings they have now?

Ryoko humph aloud, she was going soft. Ryoko then recalled the rest of her thoughts. 'But at least I'm upfront I don't slink around in the shadows and sneer people and stab them in the back. You lowlife after all we've been through!' 

Ryoko's upper lip was curled into a snarl, showcasing her pointed incisors, and her hands clenched together as she unconsciously hovered a foot off of the floor. The sharp crack of the glass bottle giving way under the pressure of her clutched fist brought Ryoko back to the present. She shook her head and took a deep breath. She needed to relax.

Ryoko looked at the cracked bottle clutched in her strong nimble fingers. "I think I've drowned enough of my sorrows in booze." She said but didn't set the bottle down she just continued to stare at it thoughtlessly titling the neck from side to side making the liquid inside swirl until it formed a small cyclone. "I **do** drink too much." She mumbled to herself releasing the bottle leaving it to fall to its ill fate on the stone pantry floor.

-*-

Ryoko was glad to see the bath steaming hot and ready for her. Simple pleasures pleased her. Like drinking saki while relaxing in a hot spring, that was a mere joy that brought her the utmost content. It was times like those that she understood how a carrot could please Ryo-ohki. Maybe it was because she never had any luxuries to begin with. Kagato never give her anything, he never praised her. He just used his little marionette to his pleasure alone.

Ryoko sighed dreamingly, as her hair became leaden when wet. As she floated backwards she thought for the first time in days how the others were doing. Most likely they would have missed her, but it wasn't as if she was much to them, all she did was laze about the house picking fights with Ayeka. Ryoko smiled at how easy it was for her to invoke the snotty princess and vise versa. But she knew Washu would have missed her most of all, she was after all her daughter. Though they didn't look or frequently act the part. She was nothing like Washu.

'Why did you create me with faults Washu? Why didn't you make me more like you? You will be known throughout the universe as the number one scientific genius, the mad scientist, but still a genius. Where as I will be remembered as the bloodthirsty demon who mercilessly destroyed and plundered. Your only mistake.' Ryoko shook her head removing the depressing thoughts from her mind.

Ryoko sighed as she sat onto the edge of the bath. She needed to do something to clear her mind. Thinking led to depression, and depression led to drinking, and for once Ryoko didn't want to drink, forcing herself into a state of numb drunkenness, she wanted to be sober for some apparent reason or another.

"You're not a mistake, and you are not some defective machine." Zero's voice echoed in the room moments before she appeared in the water. "Washu loves you; you are her daughter, her flesh and blood. She made you using her own ovum, Ryoko."

Ryoko laid down on her belly and twirled her fingers in the raising steam of the hot bath water, her fingertips gently skimming the surface from time to time. "If I were perfect I guess I wouldn't seem so human."

"You **wouldn't be** human." Zero corrected.

With a gentle sigh Ryoko rolled onto her back looking over to Zero who floated belly up in the water. "I'm not human...and I'm not Jurain. I'm just-" She stopped as the words escaped her. 

Zero looked over at her. "Ryoko." She finished for her.

Ryoko smiled at Zero. She enjoyed how Zero knew just what to say. She knew her mind almost better than she did. In a way she was the person Ryoko hid away deep inside, the person who was smarter, kinder, and to most others a better person. "But what does that make me besides special?" Ryoko asked.

Aero looked at Ryoko, burning golden eyes locked together. "Sometimes being special means being lonely, Ryoko. We both know that. But you don't have to be, you aren't alone anymore."

"You say that like I don't know that already!" Ryoko snapped. 

Zero swam over to Ryoko. "Then why are you denying the feeling?" She asked. 

Ryoko gave her a look of confusion. "What feeling?" Ryoko asked. Zero gave Ryoko a look of disappointment before she vanished. 

Ryoko continued to run her fingers through the water. "Dumb Zero, she has no idea what she's talking about." Ryoko mumbled to herself as she walked to the mirror and looked over her nude frame. She was proud of her body, as she should be she had the body to flaunt. She traced over her oblong ears, her long incisors that were fondly called fangs, and the golden glint of her feline like eyes. "Why did Washu make me so fallible?" She asked aloud. Releasing a defeated sigh Ryoko drew her fingers over the foggy face of the mirror.

~*~

Hotsuma stared at Ryoko from the deep shadows, watching her as she wrote on the mirror. Why did she think she was flawed? Was Tenchi the cause of these self-conscious interjections? 

He too then began to wonder. Why did Yugi make him imperfect? She had the power, so why require him the need of glasses?

Hotsuma removed the thin frames to clean them of the vapor build. The images in the distance blurred into fuzzy shapes. It was amazing how vulnerable he was without the little tool of glass and wire. 

The sound of vibrating mater drew him out of his thoughts. Replacing his gasses on the ridge of his nose to see Ryoko had left. 

Hotsuma had nothing to do; maybe he'd follow Ryoko's example and take a bath. Before he went to filter the water he remembered that Ryoko had written something on the mirror. 

Hotsuma,  
Take a picture, it'll last you longer.

Hotsuma laughed lightly to himself, Ryoko was a perplexing woman to allow his spying to go on when she knew for so long. But how long had she known? Perhaps she knew he was spying since she caught him plotting to kill her. 

Had it really been a little over a year since they showdown in the blowing snow. 'Love, something guys like you don't understand.' Ryoko had told him as they began to face off.

"You don't realize how wrong you are Ryoko." Hotsuma said. "Because of you I understand how it feels."

~*~

"Are you sure your Ryo-ohki is fit to travel again?" Hotsuma asked looking up into the sky at the cabbit turned starcraft.

Ryoko closed her eyes and smiled. "It's been a full week of lounging and carrots for her, I think she's most than just rested. Bye Hotsuma." Ryoko said flying up towards Ryo-ohki.

Hotsuma watched for a second as she flew away. "Goodbye Ryoko," He said. He tucked his hands into his pockets to protect them from the cold. "We made great partners in crime together." He added under his breath turning away.

Ryoko spun around and looked back down at the golden haired man. 'Are you really going to just leave him like this?' Zero asked.

'He might get lonely.' Ryo-ohki added her childlike voice to the conversation in Ryoko's mind.

Loneliness. A deep deep pain that you can feel take over your entire body. It stabs you numbly and you can't feel anything else but. It tightens about your stomach making you lose your appetite yet you can still feel the bite of hunger along with the dull yet painful bite of loneliness. And it makes one cry unexpectedly, without warning or reason. If not dealt with the loneliness will dwell in the heart turning slowly into bitter resentfulness. 

"Hey Hotsuma!" Ryoko called hovering in the air.

Hotsuma turned and looked up at her.

"Well I was wondering if um... that is that Ryo-ohki and Zero said that I should um..." Ryoko looked down into the snow scratching her right forearm. _What is up with me? Why am I so nervous over one stupid question? _"Ah! If you don't what to stay on this block of ice then you had better hurry up; I'm not freezing my tail on this iceberg a minute longer!" Ryoko stated.

Hotsuma only smiled but quickly hid it by bowing. "As you say my dear."

______________________  
End o' part 3

PS sorry it took so long. Back in school.


	4. What Only You Can Give

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know or you don't like it for some reason, don't tell me cause I just don't give a **damn** anymore.

What Only You Can Give

How much time had passed since Ryoko left Earth? She wasn't sure herself, and in truth she really didn't care to notice. Maybe a month or so passed since they had left that nameless frozen planet; time passed by so quickly when one's not alone.

Hotsuma dodged as Ryoko made a move of attack. She jumped towards him only to be stopped by his extended arm. "Hey gimme!" Ryoko commanded as she fought to crawl pass Hotsuma's outstretched arm to the last remaining slice of stuff crust pizza she had brought along with her.

Hotsuma tucked his legs beneath him on Ryo-ohki's floor. "Sorry my dear but this one is mine!" Hotsuma teased as he bit into the slice of pizza all the while keeping Ryoko away. 

Ryoko's golden eyes tripled in size and began to fill with tears as Hotsuma pulled away the hot slice leaving behind a string of cheese bridging the cheese from his mouth to the pizza itself.

Ryoko pounced on him clawing at the hot slice of bread, three cheeses, and four meats. "Aw c'mon you already ate your fair share of the pie!" She whined as she attempted another lunge for the craved food.

Hotsuma laughed turning onto his side so that Ryoko had to struggle against half his back to achieve her goal. "You forget, my dear that I am a pirate and I take whatever it is that I want." He taunted taking another bite.

Ryoko pouted for a brief moment before a sinister smile worthy of a space pirate spread across her face. "And you forget that we space pirates don't fight fair either." Ryoko said before she scratched her fingers over Hotsuma's stretched side. 

Hotsuma's body jerked from the touch. His eyes widened from behind his thin frames as he looked onto Ryoko who smiled onto him with a mischievous glint in her cat-like eyes. "You had better not dare." He said.

A fang pressed against Ryoko's bottom lip, "Tickle tickle!" She announced jumping onto Hotsuma running her nimble fingers vigorously over Hotsuma's sides. 

All of Ryo-ohki's levels were filled with Hotsuma's deep laughter and Ryoko's sinister chuckles. Hotsuma rolled onto his side giving Ryoko the opportunity to straddle his waist.

"Ah ha!" Ryoko cried out snatching the remaining pizza from Hotsuma's fingers. "Mine!" She pronounced taking a bite and holding out her index and middle finger in a V for victory sign. Atop Hotsuma's strong belly Ryoko sat eating her spoils. 'It was never like this on Earth.' Ryoko thought as she chewed thoughtlessly on a pepperoni. It seemed to Ryoko that she had forgotten about the past between them. She had let go of the fact that he had been ordered to dispose of her, mainly because she could relate herself. Though the thought still lingered from time to time in her mind it only served as a reminder to never let her guard down so easily again.

Ryoko bit down excepting her teeth to sink into the soft cheesy stuffed crust, but instead her teeth snapped down on nothing. 

"Hey!" Ryoko cried out as Hotsuma quickly devoured the crust.

Hotsuma licked his lips laughing. "Sorry but you shouldn't be daydreaming like that."

Ryoko balled her fist ready to fight. "You're going to pay for that." She said.

"How am I to pay," Hotsuma quickly grabbed hold of Ryoko's waist and rolled the both of them over until he was on top. "When you're on the bottom?" He asked.

Ryoko growled in her throat. "Do you think you stand a chance against the dreaded pirate Ryoko?" She asked flipping him above her head. She sat down on his back. "Ha ha! Victory!" She shouted. 

"Don't get too comfortable." Hotsuma said deepening his voice then turned under Ryoko and pulled her down again. For the next few moments Ryoko and Hotsuma wrestled each other on the floor fighting for supremacy on top.

Finally Ryoko found her place on top again and sat high on Hotsuma's chest with her hands holding down his shoulders and her knees holding down his hand. Zero and Ryo-ohki sent mental cheers to Ryoko's mind applauding her for her conquest. "Thank you! Thank you!" Ryoko mocked bowed to the invisible audience.

Hotsuma made an attempt to move again but Ryoko held him down strongly. Ryoko shook her finger from side to side before Hotsuma's nose. "Tsk tsk tsk." She said lowering her head down towards his.

Hotsuma smiled. "This is a pretty picture." He said. 

It was then that Ryoko took in their position, she atop of him with her face mere inches away from his. Her white dress hitched up almost to her waist revealing a great deal of her strong long legs and thighs under their red leggings. Both of them had their hair tousled from the little floor grapple and their chests were heaving as they tried to catch their breath.

"Well well well." Said a nasally voice. "Here I was worrying myself sick about you and you're having the time of your life with pretty boy here." 

Both Ryoko and Hotsuma looked before them at the child-like face on Ryo-ohki's screen.

"Washu!" Ryoko growled but then smiled. "You remember Hotsuma don't you?" Ryoko asked motioning her hand towards the pirated trapped between her thighs.

Washu peered down on him. "Oh yes I remember him, he's the guy that supposedly _saved_ you from Yugi when she attacked the house. Isn't he also the fellow that took you out into space and tried to kill you?" She asked raising a magenta eyebrow.

"Yep!" Ryoko said digging her knuckles into Hotsuma's scalp. "One and the same Hotsuma."

"Hey do you mind getting off?" He asked moving his head away from Ryoko's grasp.

"I do you're kinda comfy." Ryoko said looking down on him. 

"Well you should know that you aren't light as a feather." Hotsuma said.

Ryoko's head snapped downwards towards Hotsuma. "What did you say?" She growled she grabbed him by his long ponytail baring her teeth. Hotsuma chuckled in his throat has he apologized. Ryoko gave his hair another hard pull. "Never joke about a woman's weight!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Hotsuma said making a mental note of it.

"You'd better." Ryoko threatened as she moved from her seat atop Hotsuma's chest.

Hotsuma sat up and took a long look at the party on the other line of their communication. He looked back at Ryoko to come up with a conclusion that they were related in some sort of way that revealed close bloodlines. Their eyes were almost the same if it weren't for the color, the same went for their hair only the girl's was longer, and they had the same nose. 

"Ryoko you didn't tell me you had a daughter." Hotsuma said. 

Ryoko fell forwards until her face connected with floor. She jumped onto her feet grabbing Hotsuma by the collar. "She's not my daughter!" She hissed giving him a firm shake. 

"It's the other way around." Washu added.

Ryoko released Hotsuma when she felt she had given him a proper whiplash. "So what makes you call all the way out here?" Ryoko asked directing her attention to Washu. 

Washu crossed her arms behind her head. "Well I agreed to help you with your farewell note as long as you stayed in touch with me. It has been almost two months and you haven't called." Washu removed a handkerchief from a small sub-dimensional space pocket and dabbed the corners of her eyes. "You had your poor mother worried sick."

Ryoko, seated in her hovering chair, sighed deeply leaning her head back. "And the _real_ reason you called _mom_?" She asked waving her hand above her head. 

Washu discarded the handkerchief then leaned forward on a balled fist. "There's a tiny bet here in circulation on how long you will stay out of trouble this time around." 

Ryoko, with her head still leaning backwards on the chair frame, frowned. "Don't they have any confidence in me?" She asked. "I should go back to pirating just to piss them off." 

Hotsuma interjected. "Miss Washu-" He began but stopped with the malevolent glare Washu was giving him. Ryoko looked towards Hotsuma and mouthed something to him. "My apologies Little Washu. I will see to it that your precious daughter does not get into any serious trouble."

The magenta mane scientist was readying to answer when the lab door opened in the background and the crab bell rang announcing the presents of the blonde haired detective.

"Oh little Washu Sasami says-" Mihoshi stopped short as she looked into the screen. "Oh wow! Hey Ryoko!" She shouted waving.

Ryoko sat up straight in her chair at the sound of the bell with her eyes wide. "Mihoshi you ditz." She moaned anticipating the oncoming events. 

At the mention of Ryoko's name almost everyone of the Masaki home poured into the lab. "Ryoko, where?" Sasami asked running to the screen with her cooking apron still tied around her waist. 

"Hey kiddo!" Ryoko waved happy to see the blue haired princess. "How's everyone enjoying the serene life without yours truly around to wreak havoc?" She asked. 

Sasami smiled fondly at her friend. "Ryoko when are you coming home? It's too quiet around here." She admitted her sight shifting towards Hotsuma. 

Mihoshi had seen the same thing. "Oh I see you have company with you."

Ayeka's face appeared on the screen. "Miss Ryoko what are you doing with HIM?" She asked in a high shriek.

Ryoko sneered. "Screaming like that will make your face wrinkle, old maid!"

Ayeka's face turned a peculiar shade of purple. "Old maid? I'll have you know that-"

Mihoshi's face popped up again. "Don't I know you?" She asked Hotsuma. 

Kiyone grinded her fist into Mihoshi's head. "Don't you remember he was Ryoko's partner when she went off pirating again?" She asked. 

"Oh! Um Ryoko went pirating?" She asked. 

Kiyone slapped her hand to her forehead. "I need to lie down." She murmured walking away with Mihoshi following behind like a loyal puppy.

Ryoko was chuckling at the two's condition when Tenchi's concerned face appeared. "Ryoko what are you doing going off into space with him?" He asked. 

Ryoko looked to the side at Hotsuma. "Why not? He's the only one besides Sasami who wanted to do anything with a lowly demon." Ryoko said coldly. 

Tenchi ignored the knife in the heart Ryoko had just delivered. "Don't you remember the House of Eternal Pledge? When he attacked me?" Tenchi asked. 

Ryoko was sort of grateful she never spoke to Tenchi of how Hotsuma tried to kill her. Not that Tenchi ever had the time or wanted to talk much about it. But whenever the others asked about how their partnership ended Ryoko merely berated the sound of his name and told the others what happened wasn't any of their concern.

Ryoko felt an anger rise within her, this was the first time she ever felt so angry with Tenchi. "You know Tenchi, you can say all you want about how selfish I tend to be but it's in no comparison to how truly selfish you are. Well I have to be self-centered or whatever because none of you really thought much of me with the exception of Sasami and Washu." Ryoko quickly corrected her statement before she offended her mother and friend.

"Ryoko don't you think you're exaggerating a bit?" Tenchi asked.

"No! Because you thought I could withstand it you treated me differently then all the others, when I tried to be with you you always pushed me away. When I tried to be nice you always thought I was up to something. Tell me Tenchi how many times have you gone out and got special things for everyone equally? How many times have you ever gotten me a gift for any simple reason besides a holiday? How many times have you yelled at me without giving me so much as a word in on my defense? How many times have Ayeka and I fought and you asked me if I were alright afterwards?" Ryoko stopped with her chest heaving and everyone staring aghast. "You see Tenchi. You treat the others as if they were glass dolls and you treat me...like some unfeeling monster." 

Hotsuma watched as Ryoko's body trembled, it was barely visible in the dark ship but he had the advantage of seeing in the dark. He placed his hand on her shoulder giving it a small squeeze.

Ryoko's head turned towards him and smiled at the gesture.

Tenchi frowned at this. "Ryoko what are you doing with him?" He asked again. 

Ryoko looked back at Tenchi. "All the things you never wanted to do with me." She hissed. 

Hotsuma's urge to harm Tenchi for his treatment of Ryoko returned with vengeance. The plan formed quickly in his mind until he came up with one simple solution. He took hold of Ryoko's chin and looked deeply into her fragile eyes. "And she means **everything**." He said before he pressed his lips gently to hers.

Ryoko's eyes widened with surprise despite herself. 'He's not such a bad kisser is he?' Zero asked lightly in Ryoko's mind. 

Ryoko closed her eyes and sighed deeply into the kiss. 'Not at all. Don't you dare tell him that!' Ryoko warned to both Zero and Ryo-ohki.

Hotsuma pulled away, his breath abandoning him in the simple kiss. He could see the same went for Ryoko.

"Um Ryoko." Washu called. The two turned to see that everyone except for Washu and Sasami had frozen before the screen. "I don't have enough smelling salts for all of them!" She said. 

Ryoko smiled holding up a finger. "Look on the good side you now have six lab rats to experiment on!"

Washu smiled but the statement had knocked everyone out of their trance. "Every man for himself!" Noboyuki shouted making a run for the door followed by the others who fled from the mad scientist with a large syringe in hand.

"Call again soon, bye Ryoko!" Sasami called moments before the screen went blank.

"Hahahahah!" Ryoko burst into laughter as she fell backwards. "Did you see the look on their faces?" Ryoko breathed with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Ha! It was priceless, I wish I had a camera!" 

Hotsuma sat down next to the overjoyed Ryoko. "I'm glad I was able to make you laugh Ryoko." He said with sincerity.

Ryoko sat up wiping the tears from her eyes. "Yeah right you wanted to get back at them just the same."

Hotsuma smiled. "Perhaps."

Ryoko looked side ways at Hotsuma. She relished at how handsome he looked. There was one thing about Hotsuma that Ryoko found a little unnerving, he had a fascination with bloodshed. It frightened her, and yet it attracted her. Like how some girls are attracted to the rebellious boy because they had that sense of defiance about them. His sense of desire for destruction and bloodshed made her remember some of the joy she had in her days as the destructive space pirate Ryoko. A small part of her that she didn't mind so much but she still feared it. If there's one thing she learned about life is that people are easy to kill. Kagato taught her that lesson. Life is so delicate, so fragile. Emotions are fragile. She was fragile.

"Hotsuma." Ryoko said standing.

"Yes Ryoko?" He asked watching as Ryoko removed her black and orange jacket. 

"I want you to do something with me that Tenchi never did." She said.

Hotsuma looked curiously at Ryoko. What could she possibly want from him? "Dance with me Hotsuma." Ryoko said holding out her hand.

Hotsuma stood taking Ryoko's hand. He pulled her close to her snaking his arms around her waist as her arms snaked around his neck resting delicately on his shoulders. From nowhere a slow hunting tune filled Ryo-ohki's dome and by began to dance floating around in circles.

"Why?" Hotsuma asked not completely sure of his question. 

He could feel Ryoko's face stretch into a warm smile as she brought her lips close to his ear. "Because it's something only you can give me right now." She whispered.

_____________  
End o' part 4

I've been wondering if I should end it here. Review and tell me beloved readers and nagging critics.


	5. Ryoko's No Need for Tenchi

Demoness and Camellia stands before audience: Shout if you want some Tenchi bashing!

Everyone stands onto their feet shouting. 

Camellia: Well we'll give you a bit perhaps in the next chapter.

Demoness: Violence vi-o-lence must have blood-dripping violence! (Mallet lands on her head.) Ooh birdies! (Falls to the ground unconscious) 

Camellia disposes of mallet: Oops knocked out the author. No worries she'll be up in a moment. Believe it or not my sister and I had planned on making this a small lemon, not the smutty type of lemon but you get the idea. But now that there's a ban on NC-17 fics we're kinda more or less screwed on that idea.

Groaning Demoness stands: You're picking up on my colorful vocabulary dear sister. And don't think you're going to get away with hitting me, Tenchi must suffer first. But we need a reason... a-ha! I am a creative genius!

Ryoko's No Need for Tenchi

Ryoko's golden amber eyes focused on the blurred visions of the stars above her head. So beautiful.' She thought to no one but allowed Ryo-ohki and Zero to hear. A mental sigh echoed in Ryoko's mind agreeing completely with her comment. In three months it would have been a complete year since she left Earth. In that time she and Hotsuma had gone back to pirating but made sure they didn't touch anything or anyone from or in relations to Jurai. Ryoko said that she was bored with playing with Jurai. That was one simple reason, another was that the GXP didn't really care if other lesser planets and ships were robbed.

Ryoko turned to her side towards the cornflower yellow haired man in deep slumber beside her. Ryoko had discovered that when she slept alone she suffered a restless night full of nightmares and bad memories. One night frightened and worn she crawled into Hotsuma's bed uncaring to his say-so in the matter. Within moments she was asleep dreaming wondrous dreams she had the chance to experience very rarely. In one single night Hotsuma's position as partner had been changed to teddy bear, of course he did not mind. 

He looked so alien to her with his hair lose spread around the white pillow. And without his glasses positioned on the ridge of his nose he looked even more foreign to her. She mentally traced over the lines of his features as she followed them around with her eyes. For a kid Yugi made a pretty decent man, handsome yet flawed perfectly. Whenever people made-up characters they had the tendency of depriving them of the flaws they themselves suffer making the character perfect, the person they wish they were.

Ryoko sighed languorously. She remembered how she use to look after Tenchi while he slept. She was protecting him, watching over him making sure the nightmares that hunted her never caused his face to flinch in his sleep. And each morning afterwards she was rewarded with the same reprimanding and order to leave him alone. But with Hotsuma things were different, he enjoyed her company and her watchful eyes, especially now that she didn't spend her waking hours in search of booze.

Ryoko silently yawned, curling her tongue like a cat and popping a few bones in the process. She phased into her favorite blue and mustard dress as she floated into the air debating silently to herself. How shall I wake him up this time?' She asked Zero and Ryo-ohki. 

_Pounce on him!'_ Ryo-ohki suggested.

Zero laughed. _No she did that the other day, throw cold water on him.'_

Ryoko pictured the image of a wet angry Hotsuma in her mind and laughed. _We'll save that one for later, maybe well use it on the princess. I got it we'll shout that the Galaxy Police has attacked us! Yes that will work.' _Ryoko bit into her lower lips with her fangs as her brown tail wagged madly behind her in excitement. 

In all her planning Ryoko did not realize that Hotsuma was wide-awake gazing up at her the best he could without his glasses. What sort of prank is she up to now? It wasn't long ago she pounced on my chest.' Hotsuma's hand rubbed over his recently vanished bruises. Being her teddy bear comes with a price.' 

A sinister gleam shinned in Hotsuma's eyes as his hand gracefully drifted up to the floating pirate in deep thought. His fingers tinkled up Ryoko's spine running across a highly sensitive area.

Ryoko shrieked flying higher into the air.

Hotsuma placed his glasses on his nose. Watching over me again, ne Ryoko? Hotsuma asked smiling towards her as she landed on the foot of the bed. Her lip poked out a bit in a pout as she rubbed her tickled back, her face telling him that she was on full alert for the rest of the dark space morning.

Despite of her anger Ryoko felt the corners of her lips lift into a smile. He did have a warming handsome smile, just like Tenchi.

No one quiet understood how a simple smile was such a reward for Ryoko, but if you were to serve many years under someone who always found fault in you then you would understand. 

Your turn to make breakfast. She said hiding the smile.

Fifteen more minutes. He yawned ready to settle back to sleep. 

Ryoko pounced on his chest causing him to let out a hallow oof' Now listen to me, I'm hungry and I demand food now! Feed me now or I'm going to cook breakfast. She warned deepening her voice. 

Hotsuma's eyes grew as those last five words registered. I'll cook! He stated jumping out of bed.

Ryoko smiled in victory falling back onto the untidy bed as she watched Hotsuma's retreating form. If she wasn't aware of the fact that most things she made could be used as poison she would have taken offense. 

Washu isn't much of a cook either; maybe we are alike after all. She said to Zero. 

Zero's laughter echoed in Ryoko's mind. _C'mon and turn on the TV. I wanna catch the soaps._ Zero begged.

Alright hold your horses. Ryoko said sitting up straight on the end of the bed. Ryoko called out. 

Before her golden eyes appeared a flat digital screen. We have a few minutes of news to go before the soaps start. Ryoko said crossing her legs in Indian style. 

The balding anchorman with what looked like a dead animal atop his baldness sat aside his young and attractive co-anchor woman. ....has declared its independence from mother planet Carion. And latest news everyone remembers a month ago when Princess Ayeka Jurai announced her engagement to earthen man Tenchi Masaki whom is said to be the descendant of the late Prince Yosho Jurai. It has been reported that the two will be married in Jurai in two weeks.

Ryoko's eyes narrowed down on the photo of Tenchi holding Ayeka in his arms in the top corner of the screen.

~*~ 

Hotsuma was walking towards the bedroom when Ryoko went storming by almost knocking the tray of food onto the floor and him. Ryoko, what is the matter? He asked as she made her way to the controls.

They're getting married. She grumbled as she began calling up her communication link with Washu. 

Who's getting married? Hotsuma asked sitting down the tray and walking towards her. 

Ryoko didn't turn to answer him. Ayeka and Tenchi. She hissed moments before the link was established. 

Hotsuma's face dropped with disappointment. I see. He said sort of to himself. 

A small little Washu doll appeared before the screen. Hello you have reached the greatest scientific genius the great little Washu! Little Washu the wonderful is busy at the time, please leave a message and when shes through laughing at you shell consider calling you back.

Ryoko growled she didn't have time to waste on the little doll. Listen here you little troll I want to speak with Washu and I want to speak with her now! She said. 

The doll laughed. It said in Washu's nasally voice.

Why you...do you have any idea who you are talking to? She asked. I'm Ryoko Washu's greatest creation! Ryoko said mimicking Washu's boastful voice.

I don't care who you aaaah! The doll shouted as it was knocked out of the way. 

Ryoko! How nice of you to call, I've been trying to call you for days now. Washu said.

Ryoko's mood lightened a little at the sight of her child bodied mother. To tell me that Tenchi and Ayeka's getting married? Ryoko asked. 

Washu frowned, So you've heard hmm?

Ryoko nodded. She began to rub her chin as she thought. Tenchi really doesn't like the idea of getting married on Jurai does he? Ryoko asked. 

So they're having a private wedding on Earth first then having one at Jurai, so that no matter who may chose that time to speak against it they're already hitched. Ryoko said leaning back and crossing her legs. Oh that's clever, I wonder who thought that one up. Ayeka no doubt.

Washu smiled. I knew my little Ryoko inherited my brains!

Ryoko felt something warm within her upon hearing her mother's statement. Someone was actually proud of her. She quickly regained herself going back to the business at hand. And I wasn't invited.

Washu frowned again. They didn't say anything about you not being invited. Though I believe Ayeka wouldn't take kindly to the idea of two pirates attending her wedding. But you are coming arent you? Washu asked a mischievous glint gleaming in her emerald eyes.

Ryoko smiled denting her bottom lip with her fangs. Of course I'm coming. I have to have a tiny _talk_ with Tenchi before he takes that walk down the aisle. Be ready for us when we get there, I don't want anyone to know that we're there just yet.

I'll be waiting for you.

See ya mom. Ryoko said turning off the screen.

***

Ryoko and Hotsuma sat together on Ryo-ohki's floor eating breakfast together as they did so many times before.

So you're going back? Hotsuma asked Ryoko eyeing her from over the rim of his coffee mug. 

Ryoko popped a slice of toast into her mouth. I hope we don't have to fight over it again. She teased. 

Hotsuma frowned giving her a glare that told her that he wasn't in the mood to joke. I won't lie to you; I don't want you to go back. He said looking her in the eyes. 

Ryoko sat her food down and looked back at him. I have to Hotsuma. I have to make it to that wedding in time. She said.

Hotsuma slammed his fist into the floor making the plates rattle. I thought you said you were over him Ryoko. Why do you let him rule your life like this?

Ryoko began but he held up his hand stopping her. 

Why do you like hurting yourself like this? Going back to him will only continue the cycle of pain and suffering. I use to enjoy seeing people go through that. But you, Ryoko, I can't stand to see you put yourself through it. And yes I will fight you to prevent you from going back to that even if it truly kills me this time. 

Ryoko leaned over grabbing hold of Hotsuma's face and pressing her lips to his in a gentle kiss.

What was that for? Hotsuma asked when they parted.

That was the only way I could shut you up! She said frowning. Now that you've finished your little jealous lecture on how love hurts I can inform you that I don't give a damn that Tenchi's marrying Ayeka, hell I'll even give Ayeka away. But there's just something I have to do before hand. Ryoko leaned against Hotsuma nuzzling her nose against his neck. Besides Ryo-ohki misses Sasami and showing up will no doubt scare the hell out of that princess and Tenchi. Come on Hotsuma afterwards we could go out and paint the world red. What do you say to that, Hotsuma?

Hotsuma sighed as he leaned his head back and wrapping one arm around Ryoko's shoulder. What is it you have in mind? He asked almost afraid to ask. Almost.

End of part 5 (next part Tenchi bashing I promise!)


	6. Tenchi on Trial

Demoness appears before everyone in the middle of a wrestling ring: Are you ready for some action? (Crowd roars) Are you ready for some Tenchi bashing? (Crowd stands onto their feet shouting). Okay everyone let's get ready to rumblllllllle!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. And I will kill if anyone dare try to take those things from me! Ahem! If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore.

Tenchi on Trial

Ryoko stood before Ryo-ohki's large window looking down on the bright glow of the green and blue water planet called Earth. She couldn't believe that it was a bit over nine months ago when she last looked down on the same planet and vowed to never return.

"Almost feels like I'm giving up on something." She sighed.

Zero stood beside her looking down on the same sight. "But it is beautiful isn't it?" She asked. "Mostly because family is down there missing you."

Ryoko mused over her statement a moment. "I guess this place is where I truly belong since I keep coming back to it."

Hotsuma phased himself a good distance behind the two Ryokos. It mattered not how many times he saw them at once he never quite got use to the sight or the knowledge of the second, Zero. Zero was more open with her feelings unlike Ryoko, but she still had the innocent mischievous gleam in her eyes much like the Ryoko he knew. Over the months when he had spoken with her he discovered Zero took an impish pleasure in seeing him sweat under a multitude of personal questions involving himself and his feelings for Ryoko. At times his facade of arrogance and strong confidence failed him around Zero leaving him open for anything she might throw at him.

Both Zero and Ryoko turned to face Hotsuma as he made his almost soundless entrance. "Good evening Hotsuma!" They said in union in an overly sweet tone that usually meant they wanted something of him. 

Hotsuma smiled. "Good evening Ryoko, Zero." He greeted them both benevolently. "Are the two of you prepared for our return to Earth?"

Zero stepped away from Ryoko. "Ryo-ohki can't wait to see Sasami again, she got here so quickly didn't she Ryoko?" Asked Zero.

Ryoko nodded. "We've already informed Washu that we are arriving. And we are just in time; the wedding is tomorrow evening."

Zero gave Hotsuma a wink. "I'm going to rest for tonight's activities. See the both of you later." With that said Zero vanished once again into Ryoko's body.

Hotsuma, still unsure of Ryoko's complete motives, looked down on the beautiful glowing planet growing larger as Ryo-ohki descended.

Ryoko playfully rubbed her nose against Hotsuma's cheek. "Don't worry, after tonight we are going to have the time of our created lives. Or don't you trust me?" She said her voice deepening to an almost seducing purr.

Hotsuma shrugged. "I have my doubts." He admitted. 

Ryoko tugged at his hair. "Remember I put my trust into you when you first took me away from Earth. I say you owe it to me big time to trust me in this one. Besides I promise this is going to be fun."

"And my I ask my dear what you really have planed for tonight's entertainment?" Hotsuma asked.

Ryoko's fang pressed gently over her lip. "You'll find out once dear Tenchi goes to bed."

*** 

Tenchi sighed with content as he laid back into the soft pillows of his bed. After tonight he wouldn't be sleeping alone anymore. He would have himself a princess by his side always, regardless of the fact that she was his great half aunt. Love is love that's all that mattered. 

Tenchi smiled looking at the digital numbers on his clock, 11:49 PM. Soon it would be the next day, his wedding day. His entire family would be there...well most of them would be there.

Ryoko. It had been merely nine months since she left them, but it felt longer to Tenchi. It was simple to say things became more peaceful around the Masaki home. Except for the occasional accident of Mihoshi landing hers or Kiyone's ship in the lake and bypassing the security in Washu's lab and causing an explosion things were in a way boring. It wasn't until she was gone that Tenchi realized how much of everyone's lives she was involved with. Sasami wasn't quiet as cheerful though she still kept a happy disposition. And the few moments when Little Washu actually left the recesses of her lab slimmed down to near a glimpse of the pink haired child/woman when she needed food or a rest from her work. The only other reason she walked about the outside world was when Ryoko and... that man called.

Ryoko's departure may have allowed him to show his affections for Ayeka openly and without fear of being destroyed in utter rage, he felt the cost wasn't truly worth it. He would have eventually found the courage to tell everyone.

"Tenchi." A sweet singsong voice calling his name flowed by his ears like the wind.

Tenchi sat up looking around the room. "Ryoko?" He asked the stillness of his room. Shaking his head he settled back down into his pillow. "I must have wedding day jitters or something. I'm hearing things."

"Tenchi." The voice called again. "Oh Tenchi."

Tenchi sat up again to come face to smirking face with Ryoko. He was about to cry out with surprise when Ryoko's nimble fingers covered his lips. "Speak of the devil and he...or should I say she is bound to come." She smiled. 

Tenchi wasn't sure what had happened but his room began to fade into the shadows and everything went black.

***

"Tenchi. Tenchi." He could hear someone calling his name. "Hey wake up!" A hand flew across his face. 

Tenchi opened his eyes to the sight of Ryoko standing before him in a business skirt-suit in the color of a lovely red that made her look very attractive and dominating all at once. 

"Good he's awake." Said another voice. Tenchi looked over to his side to see another Ryoko dressed in a pair of wore down hip hugger blue jeans and a red belly T-shirt that said Don't Start With Me, You Won't Win. "It's good to see ya again Tenchi." She smiled stroking his cheek affectionately.

"Hey don't go fraternizing with the accused! Now get back at your position on the bench." Commanded the Ryoko in red waving away the other. 

"Ryoko? What's going on?" Tenchi asked.

The Ryoko in red smiled. "This is your trial Tenchi." She said waving her arm back towards the courtroom. Tenchi looked around to find he was surrounded by Ryokos. There was a Ryoko bailiff, recorder of the minutes; even the entire jury consisted of Ryokos. The only one who wasn't the space pirate was the dark masked figure of a judge with his white wig. 

"What am I on trial for?" Tenchi demanded. 

A Ryoko clad in a black dress sat down at his side and placed a strip of tape over his mouth.

"Ah now that's much better." She gave him a fanged smile as she crossed her legs revealing that the left side had a large split that traveled all the way up to her waist. "Okay we're ready now!" She announced.

Red Ryoko stood. "Ladies and demonesses we are gathered here for the hearing of Tenchi Masaki on grounds of improper treatment of one Ryoko Hakubi."

"HMM!" Tenchi muttered through his taped mouth. 

The Ryoko dressed in black gave Tenchi a smart smack in the back of his head. The red Ryoko clicked her tongue wagging her finger before Tenchi's face. "I've got the floor now. I call my first witness Ryoko Hakubi."

Ryoko dressed in her teal and pink dress appeared on the witness stand. The Ryoko in red paced back and forth before the stand as if in deep thought of her strategy before she began her questions. "Miss Hakubi, you were the first of us to have met the defendant is that not right?" Ryoko nodded. "Can you tell the court what happened the moment you met?"

"Well it was in the summertime and I was still imprisoned in the cave behind the Masaki shrine." All of the Ryoko's in the courtroom gave a visible shudder. "Ever since Tenchi was born I would watch over him from my cave, I fell in love with him over those years when he came to his grandfather's shrine to visit. I had the power to cast out an astral projection of myself so that I may see the world outside of my prison."

"Could anyone see you?" Red asked. 

"When Tenchi was little he use to be able to see me, in fact I think he was the only person who could see me. And the joyful look in his eyes made me realize that no one had ever before looked at me without fear. But then as he grew up he couldn't see me, then altogether he forgot about me. Until that one day he broke the seal of my cave and my sweet prince came to rescue me." Her eyes started to tear. "When he freed me I wanted to show him my gratitude, that's all I really wanted to do."

"Tell us what happened." Red asked.

"I went to hug him and he stabbed me through with that damn sword!"

Tenchi mumbled in protest but was stopped but the Ryoko in black with sharp elbow to the gut. Black then stood and walked towards the witness. "And how did you feel?" She asked. 

Ryoko grabbed hold of her cyan hair. "I felt so angry! All I wanted to do was thank him, show him that I cared for him! And he rejected me and called me a monster! So I followed him waiting until my strength and power had fully returned."

"Returned for what?" Asked Red.

"For a little game." Ryoko answered grinning fiendishly.

The jury of Ryoko's giggled as they all recalled the havoc she had bestowed onto Tenchi's school. Black smiled raising her hand for silence. "Anything else?" 

"Besides cutting off my hand and keeping my gems? No." Ryoko said.   
Red Ryoko dismissed the witness calling forth another. This time Ryoko stood at the stand wearing a black and blue dress with a red sash tied around her waist. "Now you of all of us have suffered a great pain, can you tell us what happened?" She asked.

"Well that's a large list where do I start?" She wondered.

Red gave her a comforting smile. "Try with the beginning."

"Okay then, almost two years ago Tenchi left for Tokyo while I was asleep. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to him and he didn't even bother to wake me. But I didn't let that bother me for long, I quickly found a way to visit Tenchi without much trouble. Things were going all right until he met and fell in love with **that** girl." She growled digging her nails deep into her palms as she clenched her fist to the point of almost drawing blood.

"Go on." Black Ryoko beckoned.

"He spurred his entire family for that girl." She said through clenched teeth. "I tried to pretend that he wasn't but I saw it for myself with my own two eyes. I saw them atop the school roof."

Tenchi watched as the anger in Ryoko's face slowly mixed with pain and sadness. Seeing such true emotions show through the tough girl mask of the space pirate caused a dagger like pain to stab his heart. The over all shock that she had truly witnessed what had happened between Sakuya and him that day of the school festival had not completely sunk in. Though when it did Tenchi had no doubt realized that he had been so naive to have not noticed that Ryoko had that fateful night dwelling on her heart and mind for so long. It was of no wonder that she went off to space with that other man. What other hurts and pains had she endured by his witless actions made Tenchi's mind race with questions.

Tenchi worked his jaw until the tape fell free. "Ryoko I didn't knuumhp!" The Black Ryoko gagged his mouth again with who knows what.

All the Ryoko's of the courtroom vanished until only the Ryoko on the stand and the judge remained. 

Ryoko stood onto her feet looking down at Tenchi. "It wasn't Ayeka I should have been upset with. Hell it wasn't even Sakuya I should have been furious with. It was you Tenchi, it was always you! It is you who are truly the selfish one and the coward!"

"What do you mean by that?" Tenchi demanded standing onto his feet.

"You're the one who wanted things to stay the same though you knew that was impossible! You're the one who left us Tenchi! You're the one who feel for that shadow and pushed very one away! And afterwards you were the one who couldn't decide and when you did you couldn't reveal it. Didn't you realize you were hurting us even more?" Ryoko asked. 

Tenchi was silent. It was the sound of the judge standing that ended the long quiet. "What do you say judge? How do you find Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.

The judge held out a dark hand, he stuck out his thumb horizontally then pointed it downwards. The judge pointed out a finger towards Tenchi, "Punish him!" He said in a deep overbearing voice.

Tenchi's eyes widened with shock as everything went black again.

***

"Ooh look at all the toys mommy gave me to play with!" A delighted squeal awoke Tenchi.

"I'm just glad it isn't me." Said a deeper voice. Tenchi could feel an odd sensation in his arms, as if they had been asleep for a long period of time. He fully opened his eyes to find himself hanging by his bounded wrist from the ceiling of a room with red satin clothe covering the walls.

"Ah it seems your playmate has waked onto us." Said an arrogant deep voice.

Tenchi turned his head in the direction of the voices. A hooded man stood with his strong arms crossed over his tan shirtless chest. The man released a deep vibrating growl as he slowly walked over towards Ryoko.

Tenchi's eyes widened to the size of saucers when he laid eyes of Ryoko. Ryoko stood before a table of whips and paddles and other torture devices. She was clad in a highly skimpy leather bikini like dominatrix outfit with torn fishnet stockings. The leather top pushed up her...um _gifted_ upper body greatly leaving very little to one's imagination.

Ryoko turned towards Tenchi and smiled. "Tenchi I thought you would be over that nose-bleeding stage of yours by now." Ryoko's voice turned fuzzy. "What do you plan to do to consummate your marriage night? Wear a blindfold?" Ryoko asked.

"This is a dream, it has to be." Tenchi mumbled.

The hooded man chuckled as he picked up a large paddle then sat it down again. "More like a nightmare, Mr. Masaki." He said motioning towards Ryoko. Beside him Ryoko held a large machine made up of spanking hands, whips, paddles, and other unpleasant objects. 

Ryoko smiled evilly as she approached Tenchi with the large machine. "Now Tenchi dear this is going to hurt you a lot more than it will hurt me." 

***

"Aah!" Tenchi shouted as he shot up in bed covered in a cold sweat. He looked about him; he was safe and sound in his morning sunlit room. He could smell the aroma of breakfast drifting by his nose. 

"Phew it was just a dream." Tenchi muttered to himself walking into the bathroom.

Some moments later Tenchi stood in front of a mirror looking himself over making sure that all that had transpired before was truly just in his mind. "It's just my guilt messing with me because Ryoko isn't here." Tenchi concluded.

If Tenchi had turned completely around he would have noticed the small but noticeable tattoo on his right buttock written in elegant script. 

Ryoko was here. 

End o' this chapter. 

Demoness: Okay so it wasn't total Tenchi bashing. What do you want from me?!

Camellia: A Tenchi with an IQ.

Demoness: Oh that reminds me. (Grabs a whip.) I still owe you for hitting me on the head!

Camellia runs off: Review and for the love of humanity HELP ME!


	7. Where I need to be Or in simpler names W...

Okay everybody lets say it together- Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. 

Demoness: Good I knew you could do it! All of you deserve a cookie! I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. And I will kill if anyone dare try to take those things from me! Ahem! If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore.

Wedding

The day was beautiful and cool; the skies were an amazing color of blue with traces of thin white clouds that would barely cover the crisp rays of the sun. Early spring, a lovely time of the year where everything was alive. Tenchi Masaki stood on the grounds of his grandfather's shrine, his belly repeatedly clenched and relaxed with constant nervous tension. It took all of his strength to keep his legs from trembling and give way if his knees dared to liquefy. He stole a glance to his side, Ayeka looked nothing less than beautiful in her wedding kimono.

Ayeka's ruby eyes were glassy as she fought not to cry in her happiness. She couldn't hear the words of the wedding ceremony spilling from her older half-brother's mouth. A small childish voice cheered happily in the back of her mind, _I'm marrying Tenchi! I'm marrying Tenchi! I'm marrying Tenchi! I won! I won! I WON!_

She was filled with joy and utter happiness as she had the right to feel on her wedding day. From behind her she could hear the joyful cries of Mihoshi and the concealed sniffling from Kiyone. (It was the first she had ever seen the Galaxy Police detective shed a tear for any reason other than her fate trapped with her clumsy partner.) 

If Ayeka were to look back to the corner of her eye she could see a faint hint of blue from her beloved sister's hair. Sasami looked so happy despite her minor depression since Ryoko's and Ryo-ohki's departure almost a year ago. It actually broke Ayeka's and most of the household's hearts to see the usually energetic and happy girl down and depressed without her usual playmates around. Ayeka, of course, blamed this on Ryoko; had she left Ryo-ohki behind then the sting of Sasami's loneliness would have been reduced. 

I never realized the friendship between Sasami and that demon before.' Ayeka mentally sighed. Though her pride as a Jurain would not permit her to admit it she too missed the _demon woman_ and the chaos she brought with her. 

It is true we weren't the best of friends, there was no pretense of that. But there were moments when anyone could see the friendship between us. During rare unguarded moments I could see she wasn't so tough and self-centered. She truly cared for everyone here in her own way.' Ayeka's eyes drifted about to everyone she could see, yes she had seen the pirate so compassion to them in some sort of fashion hidden behind another motive. Ayeka's thoughts snapped back to the wedding when she saw a tassel of magenta hair.

Like Sasami Washu had taken her daughter's departure hard. She hardly left her lab anymore; Ayeka almost felt honored that the small scientist had graced their wedding with her presents. There were times when Washu was about the house that Ayeka would catch her glazing onto her with accusing eyes, as if she were to blame for Ryoko's leaving. No one there knew the true reason nor did they understand the mind of the demon pirate. For all she knew she could have just missed pirating. And for that reason she did not waste any time trying to find Ryoko so that she may be invited to the wedding. Who knew what that woman would do to embarrass and ruin her wedding.

Ayeka had not realized that she had spoken her vows, she didn't even hear Tenchi make his. All she knew was that suddenly she was being told to kiss her husband. For the both of them the kiss ended too soon when they were suddenly showed down on with confetti. Ayeka merely laughed happily as she and Tenchi turned to face their family.

Everyone was gathered around them congratulating them at once causing nothing but an inaudible clamor. Noboyuki was patting Tenchi on the back saying something or another about what to do on their wedding night. Tenchi smiled as he looked onto everyone's faces. They looked so happy, much to his surprise, Tenchi always felt that if he chose everything would change and no one would feel happy any more, but things did change anyway, Ryoko left leaving everyone miserable. More or less what he had been striving to prevent if he should choose happened anyway because he did not. 

Tenchi was torn out of his thoughts as Washu and Sasami began talking to him. He looked down on the two small girls' many years older than himself. Washu was saying something about if he should have any children they were bond by their father's promise to be her guinea pigs. Tenchi merely forced the subject away with nervous laughter. Sasami jumped up and down with excitement with Ryo-ohki struggling to stay on her perch atop her hair.

Tenchi turned to walk down the stepping thinking all the while that something was off at what he had just seen, but what was it he was not sure. Washu, no nothing wrong with her. His father, no still filling his head with the same perverted ideas. Kiyone, other than crying of happiness nothing odd. Mihoshi...pass. Grandpa, he would always remind a mystery for him. Sasami...he stopped staring straight ahead of him at the sight of Ryoko and Hotsuma standing at the bottom of the shrine steps. 

~Earlier~

Both Ryoko and Hotsuma sat well hidden in the trees around the shrine grounds. The both of them where still a bit tired from their late night activities of reacquainting themselves with Tenchi, that and they suffered a small case of jetlag. They were moments before asleep in the lab when Washu had informed them that the wedding had started. 

Ryoko looked over at Hotsuma he was dressed in a black suit much like what he worn when they first met in the House of Eternal Pledge. She herself was dressed in a bold strapless scarlet dress with two long splits raising up to her waist, the only thing that kept anyone from seeing too much was the black lace running from the top of the split to the top thigh.

Ryoko had seen enough weddings on television to know how they went. A small story was told about true love or of some sort that helped to set the mood of two people joining in marital bliss. Ryoko sat groggily watching everything from above contemplating if marriage was such bliss why were the divorce rates so high nowadays. People shouldn't have weddings any more, they should just have this ceremony where two people decide they are going to stop dating other people and move in together. Instead of wedding rings each partner should be given a house key, and if they should somehow manage to withstand one another for a set number of years then they become a married couple, if not then they could just so easily separate and go their different ways. No fuss with divorce or anything, it's just over with.' Ryoko thought causing Zero to laugh and Washu to chuckle under her breath. 

No it wouldn't be as fun. Think if it were you down there next to Tenchi.' Zero said.

Ryoko looked down at Tenchi and Ayeka, The prince always marries the princess, and he always destroy the monsters, never marry them.' She thought back on the structures of most fairytales. The evil, the ugly, and the monsters, they are either killed or left to some miserable life to bitter loneliness. I'll be damned _again_ into that cave if I should let that happen to me.' Ryoko thought. For once in her present memory she was going control her life not be controlled or handled like some puppet or creature.

Hotsuma touched her shoulder drawing her from her thoughts, Where's Ryo-ohki? He asked.

She's right...here. Ryoko pointed beside her to an empty space. Where did that carrot muncher go? Ryoko asked looking around until she spotted a fuzzy brown mass atop Sasamis head.

Ryoko smiled. So you told Sasami?' She said to Washu.

Washu turned her head ever so slightly to the side. Ryo-ohki went to Sasami last night while you were busy _greeting_ Tenchi. She figured out everything else on her own. But she does know you are here somewhere.'

Ryoko nodded turning her attention back to the wedding, which was about to end. The prince marries the princes not the pirate. Ryoko stated to herself as she stood onto her feet.

Hotsuma looked at her. What was that my dear? He asked.

Ryoko merely stared ahead. I never did like the way fairytales went. She said vanishing from the branch onto the bottom of the shrine steps where everyone was bound to see them.

~*~

Ryoko smiled as the shocked expression on Tenchi's face slowly melted into one of fear. 

My friend is my friend and my enemy is my enemy. What is to be done when my friend is my enemy and my enemy is my friend? Hotsuma whispered so that only Ryoko heard.

Ryoko merely smiled showing off her fanged teeth as she slowly walked towards the newly weds. Ryoko's eyes locked with Ayeka in a dominating stare, everyone slowly stepped back in fear that the vengeful space pirate might at any moment vent her anger upon almost missing the wedding she wasnt actually invited to.

What Ryoko did do shocked everyone to the point that they could have been mistaken for stone statues. Ryoko quickly wrapped her arms around Ayeka in a friendly hug. I'm so glad I made it here in time for the wedding!

When Ayeka realized she had not been ran through with Ryokos saber she gathered the courage to speak, Y-You-you're...you're not upset? Ayeka asked when Ryoko released her.

Ryoko looked onto the princess hurt. Do you think me the person to ruin a day as special as someone's wedding day? She asked. Ayeka's face turned red as she felt embarrassed with herself for not having more faith in the woman. 

Ryoko then turned to Tenchi and hugged him just as tightly. As she hugged him she whispered into his ear. Now Tenchi it's not that I really care for her right now but if ever I should hear that you are taking Ayeka's love for granted as you did with mine I will use you to break in a few more _toys_ of mine.

Tenchi's eyes grew the size of eggs as Ryoko planted a kiss on his cheek as if nothing had just happened.

~*~

Everyone returned to the Masaki home to celebrate both the unity of Ayeka and Tenchi and the return of their departed family members. Mostly everyone stood about the living room catching up on the events missed over the time Ryoko had been away.

So Ryoko. Began Kiyone, I heard you've gone back to pirating.

Hotsuma handed Ryoko a drink. Are you going to arrest us if we are? He asked his tone of arrogance annoying Kiyone. 

Ryoko laughed as she took the glass. Thanks you're a gem. Yeah, if we didn't then you have nothing challenging to do. And you wouldn't have a chance at that big break that would give you a promotion **and** a job apart from Mihoshi. If thats the real reason why youre asking. Ryoko said playfully narrowing her eyes down on Kiyone.

Kiyone nervously laughed as she waved away the notion. Of course not Ryoko, we're almost family. She said.

Hotsuma said under his breath.

Ryoko smiled. It doesn't matter if you wanted to or not; I mean it's not like you could actually hold us in prison much less catch us.

Kiyone felt offended for a moment when Mihoshi jumped into the conversation. That's true, I don't think there's a prison Galaxy Police has yet built that could hold someone as powerful as you two.

Kiyone grabbed the blonde by her collar. You aren't allowed to link classified Galaxy Police information like that! She shouted. 

While the two detectives were busy Sasami took the moment to greet Ryoko. She approached the space pirate calmly with a stern look on her face. In a quick motion she gave Ryoko the hardest punch she could muster in her dangling arm. 

Ow! What was that for? Ryoko asked rubbing the faintly hurting skin.

Sasami's pink eyes looked onto Ryoko. For running away like that! 

Ryoko laughed lightly as she squatted down until her was almost leveled with Sasami. Sorry kiddo but if I had kidnapped you all of Jurai would have been on my tail. Not to mention I wasn't the best of company to be around at the time I left.

Sasami looked onto her doubtfully. Ryoko sighed. You could ask Ryo-ohki and Zero if ya like, heck ask Hotsuma here he suffered my bad mood. She said waving a hand towards Hotsuma.

Sasami looked onto Ryo-ohki who was nestled in her hair then onto Hotsuma. She looked back at Ryoko. Space pirate's honor? She asked. 

Ryoko crossed her heart and held up her right hand. Space pirate's honor. Sasami smiled as she jump onto wrapping her arms around Ryoko's neck hugging her.

The next to approach her was Tenchi and Ayeka. Here's the happy couple. Ryoko said.

Hotsuma came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Maybe second happy couple. He teased knowing it would anger Tenchi a bit.

Hey since I have to behave myself so do you. Ryoko hissed so that only he could hear. 

Um Hotsuma, if you do not mind Tenchi and I would like to speak with Ryoko alone. Ayeka said politely in her princess mannerism.

Hotsuma hugged Ryoko tighter showing his possessive nature. And abandon my only worthy partner? He asked.

Ryoko gave him a small knock in the head. Will you go already, jeez! She feigned irritation. 

Hotsuma spotted Washu across the room and decided he should thank her for rooming them in her lab. 

With Hotsuma gone Tenchi began to speak. Ryoko I hope their aren't any hard feelings between us. He started. 

A small tender smile tugged at the corners of Ryoko's lips at Tenchi's words. He was still the same, striving to see that everyone was happy.

Ryoko shook her head from side to side causing her mane of cyan spikes to gently flow back and forth. No hard feelings whatsoever. All frustrations I had towards the two of you I already worked out before coming to the wedding. She said glaring at Tenchi knowingly. 

Ayeka not noticing the discomfort of her husband moved on to another mystery that had her puzzled. Miss Ryoko why did you leave us so suddenly without any word of warning?

Ryoko looked between the two newlyweds. They suspected the reason why she left but they weren't sure. If Ryoko wanted she could have just told them she saw them and let them spend the rest of their days in guilt and shame for breaking a heart and sneaking about. But Ryoko decided to deliver one of her random acts of kindness and save them the pain. I woke up one day and realized Tenchi and I just weren't meant to be together. As he would say he loved me but he wasn't **in****_ love _**with me. I guess it finally sunk in that day. She lied. So later I decided that since I'm a free woman I wanted to go see what I could and perhaps fall in love with someone new.

Tenchi jerked a thumb towards the only other demon in the area. You mean Hotsuma? He asked. 

Ryoko laughed; true the two of them were very close now that they had reestablished their partnership. Ryoko had often found herself staring onto Hotsuma as she use to with Tenchi. She could not hide that she felt something for the golden haired man. But was what she felt love? Maybe, Tenchi. But don't worry, you're the one I fell in love with first! She announced trapping him in a great bear hug.

~*~

It was almost 2 AM when almost everyone had retired and was sound asleep. Ayeka and Tenchi lay entangled in the sheets of Tenchi's bed lip locked as they had just finished consummating their marriage.

Tenchi kissed Ayeka once more on her brow. Goodnight Mrs. Masaki. He said.

Ayeka kissed him once on the lips. Goodnight to you Mr. Masaki. She said through her joyous giggle. She watched as her husband rolled over to turn off a small desk lamp either had the time to turn off before. Her eyes widened as something on his rear end caught her eyes.

Tenchi was about to turn off the light when Ayeka suddenly pounced on his back pulling the bed sheets away. Ayeka...um can't you wait a few minutes I'm kinda tried from what we just did. He protested.

Ayeka didnt listen as she removed the sheet to see a tattoo of someones neat script. Slowly she made out the words reading them aloud. Ryoko was here?! AAahhhhhhhh! RYOKO! 

~*~

In the distance Ryoko, Hotsuma, Washu, and Zero sat under the leafy branches of Funaho. Ryoko held up her cup of sake. A toast. She said happy to have a good drink again. 

Hotsuma held up his sake cup next to Zeros, Ryokos, and Washus. A toast to what? He asked. 

Ryoko's golden eyes lowered as she thought of a reason. Zero smiled saying. A toast to the marriage of Tenchi and Ayeka.

Ryoko cackled as she tapped her cup against the other's. May they be happy and have many fat kids together. With that she titled back her head and gulped down the contents.

Washu chuckled. Yes many more lab rats for me.

And may we be far away when they see your name tattooed into Tenchi's ass. Hotsuma added.

I'll drink to that! Zero and Ryoko said together.

Washu nodded. See they should be realizing that tattoo in...3...2...1. 

AAahhhhhhhh! RYOKO! Came a high pitched and angered shout from the Masaki home.

Ryoko rolled onto her back with laughter almost falling into the lake. It seems they've found my calling card.

End of part 6

Demoness- Been awhile but I still live!


	8. Of Dreams and Nightmares

Demoness- Hello everyone took me long enough but here it is. I did a little look back on my earlier chapters and realized I was much more descriptive and my entries were much longer. I shall try to live up to my earlier works once again. Now that that's out of the way shall we proceed?

If you don't know by now I do not own any of the characters from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. AIC & Pioneer copyrights them. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. And I will kill if anyone dare try to take those things from me! Ahem! If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore. Why are you even reading this? Go on and skip down to the story.

Of Dreams and Nightmares

Ryoko, Hotsuma, Washu, and Zero sat together underneath Funaho with the cool air of spring flowing through the strong leafy branches. The still night of spring was silent with only the insects lulling the countryside's inhabitants to sleep with their gentle chirping. The four laughed among themselves as they all tried to identify what could compare to Princess Ayeka's earlier shriek.

"A howling dog in pain." Zero said pouring out the next rounds of sake.

Hotsuma handed out the now full cups. "Perhaps towards the end she did sound like a dog. But what about the first sound? I could have sworn she shattered glass with that one." He remarked.

Washu took her cup laughing. "Mmm...Mariah Carey caught in a bear trap." Her responds caused an uproar of laughter.

Ryoko sighed as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. It had been such a long time since she had such a night. Do not mistake she did have her fun with Hotsuma, but always their was something missing...her family.

Ryoko yawned standing onto her feet. "I'm tired let's go to bed." She stated.

Washu looked onto her daughter with a brow hitched. "Why it's only...2:17 in the morning." Washu said after consulting her mental clock.

Ryoko yawned once again curling her tongue. "I have been reuniting, catching up on old news, celebrating, eating, drinking, and dance all day. I'm tired." Ryoko said counting off the day's activities by her nimble fingers.

"Unless I am wrong, which is impossible, the gems should provide you with all the energy you need. Meaning that you have no need for food, water, or rest."

Those words caught Hotsuma's attention. "So all those times Ryoko sleeps in?" 

Washu nodded her head. "Is because she's just being lazy as always!"

Ryoko growled as she took hold of Washu's collar giving it a firm shake as she spoke. "Watch it **mom**, or I'll tell Tenchi and Ayeka _how_ I managed to tattoo him."

Washu looked Ryoko into the eyes with a false-shocked yet sad expression. "Little Ryoko you wouldn't dare do that to your dear mother would you?" She asked pretending to wipe away a tear. "I thought I raised you not to snitch." 

Ryoko's upper lip curled so that her fangs were noticeable to anyone who was watching. "The family who play pranks together suffers the wrath of a pissed off chipmunk voiced princess together."

It was at that moment Zero came into the conversation at the mention of family. "Well you did promise that you wouldn't ruin their wedding day." 

"I said **day** I said nothing about their wedding night. Besides if what Washu says is right then today is the day after the wedding, promise kept!" Ryoko pointed out dropping Washu to the ground. With a final scratch and a yawn of goodnight Ryoko quickly vanished most likely heading back to the lab. Zero left not much later.

Hotsuma was readying to join Ryoko, as were his duties as teddy bear, when he suddenly found he could not lift off the ground. "Washu!" He turned towards the woman with her hair a smooth color of pale pink the in the moonlight. "Washu what are you doing?" He asked. 

Washu stepped before him. "I wanted to talk with you for a moment. As you may know Ryoko is my daughter, she and Ryo-ohki are the most precious things...people to me." She corrected herself. "She may be tough as nails on the inside, but from years of service to Kagato has damaged her emotions, stunting the maturity to which they developed. Do you have any idea of what I'm telling you?" Washu asked the annoying nasally sound gone from her voice. 

Hotsuma stood almost afraid of the 'child' before him. Her voice, it was so calm and serious. It disturbed him in a way that he felt if he should answer her and it wasn't to his liking she would do something unimaginable to him. 

Hotsuma lowered his eyes so that he did not look at Washu. "She's more fragile that what everyone thinks." He answered. 

Washu nodded. "You knew that already, or rather Yugi had some idea of it. Extreme emotions such as love and the loss of love are completely new and inexperienced for Ryoko, well at least with the memories that she has now. When Tenchi first betrayed Ryoko's love she was trying to figure out a way to handle the new feelings then you showed up offering Ryoko a chance to go back to the life Ryoko knew. So Ryoko rather going with what she knew than fight to handle something she didn't went with you."

"Making me her rebound." Hotsuma said with a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

"Exactly. But whom can you blame for that Hotsuma?" Washu asked. Hotsuma once again was silent to the question as he closed his eyes. Washu merely went on. "Now as I said before Ryoko is very precious to me and I would kill for her if the occasion should ever call for it. Ryoko didn't tell the rest of the family but I know that when you were displeased with her you were glad to dispose of her." 

Hotsuma's eyes snapped open as a saber of charged energy appeared aimed at his heart. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to restrain myself from killing you when you arrived. Neither Ryoko nor I will ever forget that you tried to kill her. For whatever reasons you failed be it you were too weak, which is the most likely cause, or be it of your own cause you tried to harm her." Washu diminished her saber. "But for whatever reasons Ryoko has allowed you to live and perhaps has even forgiven you. I respect my daughter's wishes. But know this Hotsuma if I even suspect that you will hurt her in the slightest manner emotionally or physically I will hunt you done and see to it that you suffer for all eternity my by own hands."

Washu turned her back on him and began heading away. As she began to step onto the stepping stones she stopped. "Good night Hotsuma." She said then she too vanished. 

Little Washu's words repeated endlessly in Hotsuma's mind as he made his way back to the lab. True there was no excuse for what he had attempted to do to Ryoko. Deep reflections and doubts swam throughout his mind. He had tried to kill her, and at no point in his life could he consider himself as a good person. He had a certain enjoyment, or in other words a twisted pleasure with bloodshed and destruction. It could not be helped, that was the way Yugi had created him. What he did he did, what was done was done, nothing could be changed about that. And he couldn't go about pretending that he had not done what he had done or had attempted to do. As he thought about it he recalled what Ryoko had said during the wedding. 'The prince always marries the princess not the pirate.' And the good never had hands stained with blood.

Hotsuma sighed as he removed his jacket and shirt then crawled into bed next to Ryoko careful not to disrupt her seemingly peaceful slumber. Ryoko merely moaned in her sleep shifting her position so that she lay snuggled against Hotsuma's bare chest.

Hotsuma looked down on her. She looked so beautiful asleep in his arms, beautiful cyan hair paled in the darkness. He loved her more at that very moment. He didn't understand it, she knew he had tried to kill her, she had heard the treacherous words flow from his mouth. So why? With a final deep sigh Hotsuma removed his glasses then settled down to sleep.

~*~

As usual Ryoko slept through most of the morning missing Sasami's wonderful breakfast. Hotsuma looked from Ayeka to Tenchi noticing the anger blazing in Ayeka's ruby eyes and the embarrassment detectible on Tenchi's face.

"I woke up from hearing the queerest noise last night." Mihoshi said starting the conversation.

Sasami looked up. "You know what? I think I heard it too." She said feeding a carrot to Ryo-ohki.

"Me too." Added Kiyone.

Washu's emerald eyes grew with false interest. "Really? The lab is sound proof so we didn't hear a thing. What did it sound like?" She asked.

"Well it was more like two sounds." Kiyone stated.

Noboyuki butted in. "The first was like nails on a chalkboard, right?" 

Mihoshi nodded. "Yeah, and the other was like an animal howling in pain."

Hotsuma could have laughed at the colors Ayeka's face was changing to with each word of description of her scream.

After breakfast Ayeka went on a rampage in search of Ryoko's whereabouts the first place she had checked was the lab. Ryoko was already gone by then and Hotsuma had a small idea that he could find her easily. 

Of all the places Hotsuma searched for Ryoko, the trees, the lake, atop the roof and so on, he had not planned on finding her relaxing in a small clearing in the woods.

"Has that fire-breathing dragon quit looking for me yet?" Ryoko asked from her set on the ground.

Hotsuma stood beside her. "Not quite yet my dear, but I believe Tenchi shall calm her down soon."

Ryoko stood up and stretched. "Well I hope it's soon I'm starving!" She exclaimed patting her flat belly.

"If you wish I could go retrieve some food for you." Hotsuma suggested. 

Ryoko's golden amber eyes looked onto him as if he were some sort of saint. "Would you?" She asked.

Hotsuma laughed at the darling look she was giving him. "But of course." He said.

Ryoko let out a cheer and wrapped her arms around Hotsuma. "You're wonderful." She said moments before she kissed him.

Hotsuma moaned in content deepening the kiss. Sometimes life just couldn't be any better. He had almost forgotten what Washu had spoken to him about the night before.

Hotsuma opened his eyes as they both parted. The small smile on his face disappeared with the shocked and hurt look in Ryoko's eyes.

"Hotsuma." Ryoko whispered. As she spoke a small stream of blood trickled from the corner of her lips to her chin. "Why?" She asked.

"What Ryoko? What do you mean?" He asked fear and confusion in his voice. He looked down into his hand to see his blue saber embedded deep within Ryoko's belly. Her deep crimson blood poured from the wound staining his hand and the hem of sleeves.

"And I thought...I could...trust you." She said losing strength in her legs she fell into his arms.

Hotsuma slowly brought her down to the ground. "No Ryoko, I didn't..." He stopped short finding it hard to explain. He stroked her head with his bloody hand leaving a strike of deep red among the beautiful cyan. "I didn't want to kill you. I didn't-"

Ryoko gasped for breath, "I knew you would try to kill me again." She muttered once before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and a horrible death rattle passed through her bloody lips.

"Ryoko? Ryoko. Ryoko!" Hotsuma shook her shoulders hoping to wake her. "RYOKO!"

~*~

Hotsuma suddenly sat up in the bed. His chest was moist and his lose golden yellow hair was clinging to his neck and shoulders. Disoriented his heart pounded madly against his ribcage as he breathed jagged gasp of air. Hotsuma looked about him carefully taking in where he was. When his eyes fell onto the still sleeping Ryoko. He watched the slow rise and fall for her chest to be sure. She wasn't dead, he hadn't killed her, there was no blood spilling from her belly or staining her lovely hair. She was alive.

Hotsuma laid back down encircling Ryoko in his strong arms. Again what Little Washu said before repeated word for word in his mind along with the horrible image of Ryoko dead in his arms. He wouldn't be going back to sleep for the rest of that night.

_______

End o' chapter, my lovelies


	9. Love and Lose

If you don't know by now I do not own any of the characters from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. And I will kill if anyone dare try to take those things from me! Ahem! If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore. Why are you even reading this? Go on and skip down to the story.

Oh and thank you each and every one of you for the reviews, you people are great! 

Of Loves and Loses

Beautiful.

That's all he could say to describe her, inside and out. A beautiful soul to go with her beautiful body. When Hotsuma had first met Ryoko it was her looks alone that he loved her for, it then angered him when he could not have her. Then as he came to know her he began to love her for the person she was within. Before he only wanted her body, but now he felt he had to her body and soul.

Hotsuma floated above the foot of the bed seated in lotus position, he looked down on the peacefully resting form of his sole worthy partner and love interest. The soft yet eerie glows of the many machines and monitors cast a lovely shade of pale blue light over 

A bloody image of a pale and cold corpse locked in the embrace of his arms made him close his eyes. He shook his head sharply from side to side until the thought was nothing. How could I, how?' Hotsuma asked himself. You could say he wasn't the greatest of men, but he wouldn't dare do such an underhanded to anyone, much less Ryoko. Well nowadays that is.

Ryoko shifted in her sleep. Hotsuma had observed that he didn't truly have to be in bed with Ryoko to keep her from having her nightmares, but that was something he didn't really want share with her. As long as he was near enough for her to sense him she was okay. 

He whispered. His eyes widened in shock as he thought he saw blood on Ryoko's cheek. With a blink it was gone. Hotsuma sighed heavily, I have to leave. Before I really do harm Ryoko.' He bent down towards Ryoko until his warm breath mingled with hers. 

He pressed his lips softly against hers in a quick peck then returned for another. Ryoko moaned in her sleep as she shifted her position so that she lay on her back. During the second kiss she wrapped her arms around his neck deepening it greatly.

Hotsuma's body lowered down until he was almost laid atop her. When they parted Ryoko's eyes opened for a brief second falling onto Hotsuma's pained yet tender face. With a smile and a content sigh she rolled over already sleep.

Hotsuma floated backwards until his body drew away from the soft glowing light into the consuming darkness. Good-bye my dear.

~*~

Hotsuma reappeared next to the stasis field in which Yugi hibernated. He stood there looking down on his creator. 

She could hear him that he knew long before he entered place. Do you know why I'm here? He asked. The glow of the field changed color. That dream I had. He said to no one. That dream, that horrible dream, what if it was a sign. What if it meant to tell him he would always be evil and inhuman, so much that he would kill the one he so loved. The red glow of the field pulled Hotsuma from his thoughts; Yugi was upset with his train of thought.

If I stay here I might fulfill my dream.' Hotsuma stated. The glow turned a soft blue questioning him. I don't know where I would go. I just have to leave.'

~*~

The morning after Ryoko awoke earlier than she had ever planned by the sound of a loud banging on the lab's door.

Ryoko! You come out of there this minute! Ayeka screamed her voice raising an octave high with each word.

She merely moaned pulling the pillow over her head. She was having such a lovely rest, she didn't know why but she slept so well. _Why did chipmunk voice have to come and wake me up now?_ Ryoko asked.

With another groggy groan of protest Ryoko teleported herself from the comfortable bed to stand on the cold floor. She would take a dip in the onsen before having to deal with Ayeka and Tenchi. 

Ryoko looked about to find her partner, most likely he work up earlier than she did as he usually did. Ryoko sang out. Would you like to join me for a dip in the onsen? 

There was no response. Knowing Hotsuma he was walking about thinking. She shrugged her shoulders and vanished. Not knowing that Hotsuma was long gone.

~*~

Ryoko laid soaking relaxed on the steaming hot waters of the onsen sipping sake from a saucer. This is the greatest thing I've ever created! She thought to herself. Hotsuma was missing out greatly. 

Hotsuma. Her eyes softened at the thought of her golden hair partner. There was something about Hotsuma, that she knew, deep down she knew she loved him. But that was deep down and there were times deep down was too deep that she didn't notice that she did. Perhaps she was in love with him when they first went off into space together. Perhaps. 

_You love him. _A voice spoke. 

Ryoko moaned. If it ain't Washu invading my thoughts it's you. Ryoko growled to Zero.

_Why don't you just tell him? _Zero asked her. 

Ryoko dropped her head so that her nose almost touched the water. Don't ask me. I'm not sure what it is that I'm feeling. She said wrapping her arms underneath her knees hugging herself tight. I don't know.

~*~

Half the day had passed and still no one had seen neither hide nor golden hair of Hotsuma. When everyone asked of his whereabouts Ryoko merely stated that he must be off somewhere looking around as he was prone to do. She hid the fact that she too was concerned, she was rather attached to him if only she admitted to herself.

Ayeka was privately berating Ryoko with an embarrassed Tenchi silently standing at her side. But her words fell on Ryoko's deaf ears. She was preoccupied thinking about Hotsuma. _Where could he have gone off to? _She asked unaware that she had broadcasted her thoughts. 

An annoying laugh quaked in Ryoko's ears. So you are worried about him. Washu said. 

Ryoko sighed. I'm not worried; it's just that he's been gone for over twelve hours now. 

Ryoko could hear the snide smile spreading on her mother's' face. Has it been that long? She asked. 

Ryoko looked to Ayeka to see if her face had changed anymore colors. And further more... Ayeka squeaked. 

Ryoko sighed inwardly when a thought dawned on her. You know where Hotsuma is, don't you? Ryoko asked. 

Maybe. 

Talk munchkin! 

Munchkin? What kind of why is that to speak to your mother? 

Mom please. Ryoko pleaded with sincerity that surprised even her. 

Washu was silent a moment before she answered. He left this morning. 

He what? Ryoko asked aloud causing Ayeka to stop her scolding for a second. 

Ryoko I will not have you speaking with Washu while I am talking to you. If you haven't realized this is rather import- Ayeka was cut short as the half-listening Ryoko held up her hand to Ayeka's face in a signal for silence.

Ryoko pressed her finger to her ear as if trying to get a better hearing. One moment Washu...all right, ugh mom! She turned back to Ayeka with an impatient look on her once passive face. Listen I'm not sorry for what I did so you might as well stop chirping. Now if Tenchi wants the tattoo removed he'll have to drop his pants.

Ayeka stumbled with her words as Tenchi turned blood red with embarrassment. Ryoko it's dishonorable to flirt with another woman's husband!

Ryoko growled resisting a sudden urge to slap the purple haired woman. She held up her left index finger, on the tip floating a few centimeters above her nail was a small green ball of light. She smirked as the light touched down on her fingers spreading a soft green glow through her whole hand. 

Well if you're done nagging my ears off I have to go and talk to..._mom_. Ryoko said walking between them. As she walked by she took a firm squeeze on Tenchi's butt cheek with her left hand. Bye Tenchi. She smiled vanishing before Ayeka could call on her logs. 

~*~

Ryoko sat atop the roof the conversation she held with her mother two weeks ago fresh in her mind.

*

Why didn't you tell me he was leaving the moment he left?' Ryoko had asked.

Washu crossed her small arms over her chest. What did it matter to you? You're just partners.'

Ryoko stood tall placing her fist on her waist. Yeah we're just partners but partners nonetheless, I'm pose to keep dibs on him and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. You know watch his back, partner stuff.'

Washu let out a defeated sigh. As you say.'

Do you know why he left?' Ryoko asked with an odd softness in her voice that didn't sound anything like the feared pirate she was. 

Washu nodded solemnly to her, He was afraid of something that could end your life.' Washu answered yet riddled all at once. 

He left because of me? But where?' Ryoko asked. 

I-I can't tell you.' The magenta mane youth answered.

What?! Why not?' Her daughter demanded passion swelling in her voice.

I didn't intervene when you had to leave, I will respect his decision to go.' She said hoping she could convince her daughter of such a lie. Washu's eyes pleaded with her daughter not to ask her anymore questions; it was hurting her seeing her worked up over it. She wanted nothing more than to tell her where her friend' had went. 

*

Ryoko sighed looking up at the clear blue sky above. Doesn't the sky look beautiful, compared to looking at nothing darkness and stars all day. Ryoko said not turning towards the newcomer. 

Tenchi took a seat on the roof beside Ryoko. It's nice. He said looking up.

Is Ayeka still fuming? Ryoko asked with a could-careless-tone.

Tenchi sighed. Not as much now that the tattoo is gone, but she didn't like the way you went about doing it.

What I couldn't get a final grope in? She teased. Gone, gone, those good old days where gone, like ancient dust carried away by the wind, she wouldnt find it no matter how hard she tried. Change had happened and she knew more changes where coming. 

Ryoko, we leave for Jurai tomorrow morning. Tenchi reminded her. I wish you could come with us 

Ryoko sighed smiling weakly. I wish I could go with you too but you know how it is with me and Jurai. Tenchi nodded. 

It's going to be interesting living on Jurai. Tenchi commented hoping to keep the conversation going. 

Ryoko said with a serious tone. Tenchi glazed sideways at her, they hadn't spoken together like this, not since they were in the tree discussing Sakuya. When you go there you will be expected to meet certain expectations by both the people and Ayeka. Certain expectations you may not be able to meet. It will be even harder for you Tenchi, Jurains feel they are the best of the races and having a noble with tinted' blood isn't something they look for in a future emperor.

Tenchi looked ahead, he had not thought of such things before. Tenchi promise me something. Said Ryoko with a dire need in her voice.

Tenchi stared at her. Never was she this avid about anything since everyone found out that Hotsuma had left. What? Promise you what? He asked. 

Ryoko looked him deeply in the eyes. Promise me you won't let them change you. They will try but don't let them. Please Tenchi promise me. She begged. 

Tenchi pulled her into his arms and hugged her. I promise Ryoko, I promise.

They released one another not in the mood to be upset Ayeka if by chance she were to spot them. After a long silence had settled between them Tenchi spoke. Ryoko, why did you take Hotsuma back as your partner?

Ryoko chuckled. Well he may not be the best guy in the universe-

And somewhat evil. Tenchi added. 

That too, but he cares for me and treats me so, I don't know, special. And he looks out for me so well. Besides if Yugi deserves a second chance and I got a second chance, doesn't he? Ryoko asked titling her head to look at him.

Why are you so concerned that hes gone? Tenchi asked.

Ryoko smiled leaning back so that she laid on the roof and all she saw were the birds and clouds above. That's easy Tenchi, I love him.

~*~

Washu carefully observed her daughter's conversation with Tenchi via a new spy networking system she had just invented. She wasn't going to Jurai either if she wasn't allowed to analyze the royal trees. Besides she wouldn't dare leave Ryoko alone on the Earth. 

Why are you so concerned that hes gone? Tenchi asked. Washu smiled as she typed at a quick speed on her dark translucent laptop.

Ryoko smiled and laid back on the rooftop. That's easy Tenchi, I love him.

Washu stopped typing and stared at the screen. She rewound the last statement making Ryoko repeat her last six words then rewound again repeating the last three. She cried jumping out of her seat. Now I'll bring back Hotsuma!

End o' chapter.

Sorry I'm taking so long to update but times are tight here aboard my ship. For those of you who don't mind some strong language please check out my Original Anime or whatever you wish to call it Space Pirates (Creative name, no?) Please, I'm beggin' here.


	10. Now I know

If you don't know by now I do not own any of the characters from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. And I will kill if anyone dare try to take those things from me! Ahem! If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore. Why are you even reading this? Go on and skip down to the story.

Oh and thanks to each and every one of you for the reviews, you people are great! Even you Tokimi's Avatar (who I doubt is even reading this), all criticism helps.

I Now Know Where I Belong

Ryoko sat on a small baby blue blanket underneath Funaho's branches, with her slender legs half curled underneath her she sighed deeply as she half read an action manga and half gazed up longingly into the amazingly clear blue sky. Her eyes slowly drifted from the sky towards the house. 

At the time she couldn't stand to be inside of it, it was so empty and quiet without everyone there. Thought it was only a mere month ago that the others had left, but to Ryoko it felt much much longer. Tenchi and Ayeka left taking along the two GXP detectives, Noboyuki, and Sasami. Ryoko kindly sent Ryo-ohki with Sasami so that when she was ready to return Earth she could at anytime she pleased. She also sent Ryo-ohki because she felt horrible for separating the two before; she wouldn't dare to do it again.

The only ones who remained were Washu, Katsuhito, and herself. For whatever reason Katsuhito decided to stay behind it was completely beyond her. But what was even more beyond her was where Hotsuma could have disappeared to. In total he had left two weeks and three days ago, and as she missed the others his absents seemed much longer than what it truly was and she missed him desperately.

With a deep sigh Ryoko leaned back against Funaho's rough bark. She looked up into the broken beams of sunlight playing through the leaves and branches. She smiled as she sent a warm good afternoon greeting to Funaho. Thin threads of light rained down over Ryoko surrounding her in the beautiful display of colorful lights. They danced around embracing her with their glows.

Ryoko smiled holding out her narrow fingers to play against the lights as if they were the delicate strings of a harp. She laughed as the little lines of lights slowly faded away. Same to you old girl. She whispered leaning against Funaho again returning to her thoughts of Hotsuma's disappearance.

Thinking about him again? A smooth kindly voice asked. 

Ryoko's head snapped upwards to the branch just above her head. There sat her mother in her rarely used adult form. Must you always sneak up on people like that? She asked.

Call it my personal peccadillo. Washu shrugged jumping down from her roost to the ground next to her daughter.

Why are you here, spying again? Ryoko asked.

Washu snickered lying back on the blanket. Well it's my personal duty as your mother and also that I'm investigating some abnormal readings that I received from Funaho, I can only suspect you were the cause. Washu said. Now as I first posed were you thinking about him again?

Yeah, so what if I was? Ryoko snapped, she hated it when her personal thoughts were spied on. 

Washu smiled. So what? Washu asked mocking her daughter. So what that you miss him greatly, so what that you think about him every...um seven minutes, so what that you love him? Washu asked.

Ryoko sneered at her mother. Why are you an adult? She asked determined to change the course of the conversation.

Washu jumped down from Funaho's branch and stood onto her feet brushing off the excess dirt. I'm on my way into town to pick up a very important package. She reported letting the subject slid. 

Ryoko elevated a cyan brow. You've ordered something instead of making it yourself? She questioned her mother's odd behavior. 

Washu shrugged as she carefully made her way over the stepping stones surrounded by water. I just thought I'd tell you that before I left. I know how you hate being left alone. Washu said carefully bringing up the subject of her daughter's small phobia she had developed during her entrapment in the cave. Do you want me to bring back anything? Washu asked turning her magenta mane onto on shoulder as she turned to look back at Ryoko.

Ryoko wasn't sure if she should berate her mother for bring up the issue of her fear of isolation or thank her for her thoughtfulness. Um a box of chocolates and a bottle of saki. She may have cut back on her alcohol intake but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy a good drink every now and then.

Washu nodded. I'll be back tonight before dinner. Oh and don't forget to clean the bathroom and Katsuhito says you're suppose to sweep the shrine steps today. She said before vanishing leaving a stuttering Ryoko behind.

~*~

Washu walked the busy streets of Tokyo with a grocery bag cradled in one arm and a small rectangular device in the other hand. Her hips swayed gracefully as she sauntered down the semi crowded sidewalk drawing the attention and some wolf whistles from some of the male by passers. Washu merely ignored them as she continued to walk on chewing gum and following the growing signal of the HLD (Hotsuma Locating Device).

Washu was passing an alley when the signal peeked almost making the little box explode in her grasp. Ah, so this is where you've been hiding out. Washu stated looking down the alleyway. 

Reaching out a single hand her translucent laptop appeared before her, with a few brisk keystrokes a dense fog accumulated in her path followed by a large dark manor. Washu you are the greatest. She commended herself.

~*~

The House of Eternal Pledge had been redecorated ever since Hotsuma's return. The many paintings of the young lovers and strange peoples had been replaced by lovely paintings or sketches of his sole worthy partner in piracy, Ryoko. Whenever young lovers happened to find themselves wondering about his home he would lazily tell them stories of the ill-fated lovers before moving on happily to his tragic love story of his dear Ryoko.

Hotsuma stood staring listlessly out of the second story window looking down onto the ground where he and Ryoko faced the bioroids Yugi as sent upon Ryoko. No matter where he went or turned there were memories of her. He sighed deeply imagining touching her smooth skin and smelling her sweet hair as she slept aside him at nights. 

From behind him a loud pop sounded as someone's bubble popped. Mind tellin' me the story behind the beautiful woman? A familiar voice asked. 

Hotsuma could not help but cringe at the sound of the voice. A bad memory of a threat echoed in his memory of the voice. Hotsuma slowly turned to see a pink haired woman standing behind him staring up at a lovely picture of Ryoko in a pure white kimono with a gold obi tied around her waist. 

Lil' Washu. Hotsuma greeted her. 

Washu grinned. Not so little right now, am I? She asked with a flirtatious wink. 

Hotsuma's trademark smirk of arrogance played across his face. I guess not. So what brings you here today? He asked. 

Washu frowned pointing up again at the painting of Ryoko. I swore to you once that if you hurt my daughter in the slightest way, be it emotionally or physically, I would personally hunt you down and see to it that you'd suffer for all eternity.

Hotsuma's face matched with Washu's grim expression. I left so that I would not harm her. He answered with deep solemnity. 

Washu cast her eyes away from Hotsuma towards the out-looking window. I understand that Hotsuma, which is why I didn't stop you. I also prevented myself from stopping you because I did not think it was fair that Ryoko wouldn't admit her feelings for you.

Hotsuma looked out of the window at a single mourning dove out on a pillar in the large yard below, Has she? Hotsuma asked in a low tone.

Washu's lips tugged into a small smile. Why don't you ask her?

Hotsuma considered the offer of returning to the Masaki home and to his darling Ryoko; a smiled making it's way onto his face. The image of a dead and bloody Ryoko embraced in his arms came to his mind and made him decline. I'd only end up hurting her. Hotsuma stated in a low solemn voice. Good-bye Lil' Washu. He stated walking away. 

Washu's wistful face turned to one of anger and frustration. And you think you aren't hurting her now! Washu shouted her demand down the hall letting it resonate off the walls in a sharp echo. 

Hotsuma stood still in his steps.

~*~

Swish, swish, swish. The sound of the broom's dry straw against the stone steps was the only sound in the peaceful spring evening. First I had to clean the bathroom when it was Washu's turn, now I have to sweep the steps. Ryoko grumbled to herself as she did her last chore for the day. _Just be thankful he didn't tell you to salt the shrine grounds again. Or worst scrub the steps. _Ryoko reminded herself, or was it Zero, she wasnt sure anymore. 

Hey Ryoko! A young nasally voice called. Down at the base of the steps stood Lil' Washu back in her child form waving a box of chocolates over her head. Come on down and take a break. 

Ryoko grinned at seeing her child-bodied creator had returned much sooner than she had anticipated. With quick glance about to see if Katsuhito was around Ryoko transported herself from the near top steps to the ground were Washu stood. Let me put this away and I'll be right with you. She smiled feeling a moment of indulgences was in order for her late good behavior and her overall _willingness_ in cleaning the bathroom out of turn.

Washu nodded. Alright, I'll be waiting for you in the kitchen. Washu said running off at top speed for the house.

Ryoko merely chuckled as she quickly focused on moving herself from the ground to the small storage place Katsuhito kept the shrine's cleaning tools. With a smirk towards her success Ryoko teleported herself once again to the kitchen.

Okay _mom,_ She shouted rubbing her hands together looking about for her mother. Bring on the sweets and the sak-you! She shouted when her golden eyes fell on the cornflower yellow haired man sitting at the dinning room table pouring a glass of saki. 

Her former partner stood onto his feet and progressed towards her with the glass in his hand. Ryoko stuttered as he placed the saki into her hand. He guided her down into a seat before the dinning room table. With a slight trembling hand she tossed back her head downing the liquid in nearly a single gulp. Her eyes watered and she coughed lightly as she placed the glass down.

Hotsuma kindly patted her on the back until her coughing fits ended. I thought you would be needing that my dear. He commented as his patting turned into soft circular rubbing that deepened into massaging.

Ryoko whispered. 

Hotsuma bent down so he could hear her whisper. Yes Ryoko? He asked. 

Her breath was still heavy from her small coughing fit from before. She said with a shaky voice. 

Yes my dear? Hotsuma asked moving closer so that his ear was mere inches from her lips. He could feel her heated breath stir the tiny hairs on his ear. 

With great tenderness Ryoko touched her hand to his cheek. Ryoko grin. I have to say something to you that Ive been wanting to say ever since you left. She said with timid reluctance.

Hotsuma smirked. What is it Ryoko? He asked. 

Ryoko grabbed a tight hold of Hotsuma's hair. Where the hell have you been?! Ryoko shouted into his ear then with great anger and force she rammed her head into his knocking him backwards into the living room into a landing on the couch, crushing it under his weight. Ryoko sneered grabbing hold of the saki bottle's neck and began drinking straight from the bottle. 

What made you think you could pull a half-assed _Tenchi_ move on me? She asked after taking a large gulp. 

Hotsuma chuckled as he stood onto his feet. Lil' Washu warned me this might happen. He said brushing his clothes clean. 

Ryoko cocked a brow as she ripped open the box of chocolate. So you're what she went into town for? I shouldn't be all that surprised. What are you doing coming back here anyways? Ryoko asked with a muffled mouth filled with a piece of caramel filled chocolate. Do you think you can just walk right back into my life after leaving like that? 

Hotsuma walked over to Ryoko grabbing a piece of chocolate. I left for a good reason. He said popping the candy into his mouth.

Ryoko frowned smoothly moving the box of assorted chocolates away from the other pirate. You know after all this time I've managed to get over the fact you left. Especially after _mom_ explained to me that I was the reason why you left us. But I couldn't accept the fact that you left us...me without so much as a goodbye. Ryoko said picking through for coconut.

Hotsuma's attention perked at hearing her change her statement from him leaving not the entire family but her most of all. Causally he reached over taking the saki bottle and took a swig. If I had tried to say goodbye I would have no doubt changed my mind.

I would have made it my job to make you change your mind. Ryoko said beneath her breath as she reached for another chocolate. 

Hotsuma leaned over so that he was closer to her. With a gentle hand his ran his fingers over the back of her neck moving her silvery blue tresses onto one shoulder. He asked slowly moving into her personal space.

Her mask of bravado instantly overcast her sensitive nature. Why else? You're my partner. She managed the half lie.

Your only worthy partner. Hotsuma corrected. But are you sure there's nothing else? Hotsuma asked. 

Ryoko scowled at him snatching the saki bottle away. Nothing comes to mind. She stated. 

Nothing? Two different voices asked in Ryoko's mind. 

Shut up _mom_ you too Zero! Ryoko demanded onto the two mental spectators.

A small silence passed over their link, they were talking to one another she knew it. It was something sinister that she wasn't going to like. What is it? Ryoko questioned the two suspiciously.

Whether or not you tell him what he already knows he's going to hear it from you one way or another. Zero said. 

Ryoko growled in her throat frightening Hotsuma until he realized what was going on. Zero isn't about to impersonate me! Ryoko shouted through her link.

Ryoko could feel Washu's impish grin grow. Of course not _little_ Ryoko and don't yell, neither Zero nor myself appreciates having our eardrums busted. And as for the matter with Hotsuma...I so happen to have a recording of you admitting to Tenchi on the roof that you love a certain golden haired man, who happens to be sitting next to you right now. Lil' Washu said. 

Ryoko gasped almost knocking over her saki. You wouldn't dare! Ryoko said in a low foreboding tone.

Hotsuma chuckled rubbing his nose against Ryoko's delicate neckline. Washu huh? Do you think she'll let us have some privacy? Hotsuma asked. I wish to tell you something.

Ryoko smirked mocking Hotsuma's slightly arrogant smile. One moment. She said cutting the link without Washu's consent. There, now what is it you have to say before mother dear' reestablish the link? She asked fighting back the shivers going over her back as goosebumps grew over her arm. 

Hotsuma sighed placing his nose to her earlobe. I ran away from you because I was afraid that I might try to kill you again. He said with his lips brushing against her ear as he ran a single his finger over her arm with a feathery touch.

Ryoko's catlike eyes widened with shock. She asked. 

I don't know, maybe because of jealousy...like before. He said in a low voice. 

Ryoko moved her head away from his lips so that she could look into his frosty blue eyes. No I meant why' as in why would you be afraid for me?

Hotsuma quirked his brows as he stared entranced at her beautiful golden amber eyes. It amazed him how daring she could be but how insecure she was at her unguarded moments. Like now how her eyes burned with apprehensiveness. As they said your eyes are the windows to your soul, your face may say one thing but your eyes could easily betray you.

With a smile he took a gentle hold of her face, Because I love you, my dear. He said before pulling Ryoko into a tender kiss.

Her eyes were wide in shock. He had told her three simple words that she had hoped for many years that someone, anyone, would tell her with true sincerity. Try as she might she could not withhold the sobs shaking within her chest. For the first time in the longest time Ryoko cried for something other than pain and loss, she was crying the sweet and pleasing tears of joy. 

Hotsuma ended the kiss with great reluctance and looked up into her soft fragile looking eyes overflowing with tears. He was unsure of what feelings Ryoko was experiencing or exactly why she was crying. All he could do was pull her into his arms in the most comforting embrace that he could offer her. 

Ryoko wrapped her arms around Hotsuma her tears reaping her of her voice. She clutched a handful of his jacket as she continued to cry. She held him tighter as his hands rubbed through her hair and he smoothed her with kind words. 

With a deep stuttering inhale she gathered her strength for the words she was about to say. I-I-I lo-ove you, Hot-suma. She managed to say before her voice broke out with sobbing laughter.

The confidence and arrogance is Hotsuma's face vanished as he looked onto her with disbelief. Her words, though broken by her unsteady voice and tears were the most beautiful sound he had ever heard before. No choir of heavenly angels could compare to her voice as she fought to say those lovely would of pure sincerity. He ran his thumb over her moist cheek before lovingly kissing away each tear. 

Ryoko sat still as his lips went from one wet cheek onto the other then finally ending on her brow. Ryoko tilted her head until her lips pressed lovingly against his. Hotsuma returned her tokens of love with equal or surpassing passion careful not to cross the thin line of intimacy and physical intimacy he so desired to cross. His struggle was quickly brought to a wondrous end when Ryoko deepened the kiss. 

Their eyes opened at the same slow pace and looked onto one another asking the same question and giving the same answer. Hotsuma gathered her into his arms holding her close to his heart feeling at the moment he wanted to hold her in that fashion for all of eternity. 

Neither Ryoko nor Hotsuma was sure how they made it into her room and on her bed; at the time they didn't truly care, all they cared about was each other and nothing else.

His tender kisses began right behind her oblong ear and slowly traveled along the line of her delicate jaw to the shallow dent of her collar. Hotsuma felt Ryoko's throat tighten then relax as she swallowed with anticipation.

Hotsuma indulged himself in the pleasure of kissing the curve of Ryoko's collar, his fangs tenderly testing her skin. Ryoko whimpered a moan at the feel of his teeth marking her skin, she snaked her hands around Hotsuma's neck running her fingers through his hair removing the white band in one gentle stroke.

Hotsuma traced his hands gently up Ryoko's arms as he made a trail of kisses from Ryokos neck to her lips. He removed Ryoko's hands from his loose blond hair, entangling their fingers he forced Ryoko's hands above her head. 

(Hey NC-17 ban remember? Are you trying to get me into trouble or something? Sniffles And I thought you guys actually cared about me. ; (  
Camellia walks in: Demoness please get on with it!)

Ryoko woke up alone in the bed her legs tangled in the muddled sheets. She pushed her stray hairs from her sight and took a look around the room to confirm she was alone as she had expected. It was funny she was actually hoping that for once that one would stay behind at least to say goodbye. 

Good morning. Hotsuma said as he walked in carrying a tray filled with food. 

Ryoko felt a wave of relief flow over her. She asked. 

Hotsuma chuckled sitting down the tray. Okay good afternoon. He leaned over the bed giving Ryoko a tender and loving kiss of salutations to a new day, a new life. Ryoko loved it, all of if. Ryoko pulled Hotsuma down to the bed with her. Hotsuma settled himself behind her holding her close to his heart. He breathed deeply inhaling her personal scent no other could mimic; he could hear her heart beating and slowed his own heartbeat to match hers. 

I've search for a long time looking all over trying figure out where it was that I truly belonged in this universe. Ryoko said. 

Hotsuma strengthened his embraced around her waist as he rubbed his cheek lovingly against her warm and rose petal soft cheek. That's almost poetic of you my dear. Hotsuma remarked. Have you found an answer to your longtime query? 

Ryoko snuggled into Hotsuma's warmth. Yes, yes I have. Ryoko answered softly. I belong here, and here. She said placing her hand over his heart. And wherever it is that you go. Ryoko said. You see my love; I where I belong is with you Hotsuma.

Hotsuma brought her closer kissing her on the temple. Even to the stars? He asked.

Ryoko replied. To the stars, to the end of the universe, no matter where you go I'll go with you.

Then I'm yours Ryoko, heart, body, and soul. Hotsuma said hoping she was his in the same manner. 

Ryoko chuckled. A strong big heart, a beautiful sexy body, and a great soul. Ryoko replied.

Hotsuma laughed soon to be followed by the lovely sound of Ryokos cheerful laughter.

Now I know, I know where I belong. Ryoko sighed to herself. 

~Fin~

Just to be nice I'll add an epilogue, once I find the time. Oh and please someone please read my original Manga/Anime just click on my screen name up top. 

~Demoness Space Pirate =^_^= 


	11. Reunion

If you don't know by now I do not own any of the characters from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore. 

Why are you even reading this? Go on and skip down to the rest of the story.

*EPILOGUE*

Ryoko yawned as she woke up to the dark starlit morning of space. What a night. She grumbled rolling out of bed. 

She quickly showered washing away her grogginess in a stream of hot water then dressed, she would worry about making the bed and cleaning out the shower later, or until Hotsuma did it.

She teleported herself to the kitchen to see breakfast was already made and waiting to be eaten. One single plate had already been washed and was drying on the rack. 

Junk, where's Hotsuma? She asked the ship's navigation command and computer. It's real name was something along the line of NiCOLi, what that meant she could care less. But since no ship in the universe could compare to Ryo-ohki's ability she dubbed it a piece of junk. Afterwards the name seemed to stay.

Master Hotsuma went down to Earth to see that everything was ready for our arrival. Junk replied. 

And he left us behind? Great now I have to look after him again. Ryoko mumbled walking back the way that she had came. When I get my hands on him...grumble grumble...leave me behind...grumble...who does he think he is?

~*~

Tenchi Masaki walked serenely though the country tails, taking in the sights of his home planet. It had been sometime since he last took such a peaceful moment, he was either on Jurai learning his duties as a prince and taking the responsibilities as future Emperor of Jurai. At first he tried not to get in the way of Azusa, his father-in-law. It was easy to tell Azusa wasn't in the least bit pleased that he had married Ayeka behind his back as he did, though he was impressed at the clever precaution they took to see to it they would be married either way. It was Funaho and Masaki who told him that though Azusa seemed harsh towards him in all honesty he truly liked Tenchi.

As Tenchi walked the dirty worn down trail he recapped his time on Jurai, so much had changed since then; he had changed greatly since then as well. At the thought of his changes Tenchi recalled the conversation he and Ryoko had atop the roof before he left Earth all those years ago.

When you go there you will be expected to meet certain expectations by both the people and Ayeka. Certain expectations you may not be able to meet. It will be even harder for you Tenchi, Jurains feel they are the best of the races and having a noble with tinted' blood isn't something they look for in a future emperor. Promise me you won't let them change you. They will try but don't let them. Please Tenchi promise me.' She had pleaded of him.

She was right, they did have high expectations for him, some he couldn't possibly achieve, and there were times he could feel it changing him into someone different, someone he didn't like. So each time that came close to happening he would retune to earth to recall who he was. He was a simple Earthen schoolboy who worked in his grandfathers shrine.

It had been some years since his marriage to Ayeka, she was a content little creature, easy to please and keep happy. At the time they were working to conceive a baby. They had not seen everyone, as a whole family for quite sometime, it had been Ayeka's idea for the family reunion.

When Tenchi left for Jurai, almost everyone else seemed to have drifted away from the Masaki house only to return every once in a while. 

Mihoshi and Kiyone still had their jobs with the Galaxy Police, though they had been promoted numerous times Kiyone was still stuck with her clumsy partner. Mihoshi was still clumsy as ever, making a few mistakes here and there. 

Sasami had refused to go back to Jurai finding she enjoyed Earth much better. Azusa not willing to go against his youngest child's wishes made her Jurai's ambassador to the Earth's government that was secretly connected and had information of other life-forms in the galaxy. But since that job rarely gave her anything to do she had gotten herself a job in a local cafe in town keeping residence in the Masaki house along with Katsuhito, Noboyuki and Lil' Washu.

The most constant visitors to the Masaki house were Ryoko and Hotsuma. Tenchi chuckled to himself at the thought of the two frequent visitors, whenever he and Ayeka came for their visits they were always informed that the two pirates had arrived there either a day, some weeks, or a month before and had just left. Rumors had been spread that the two were married and was the most notorious pirating couple in the galaxy. If this was true or not Tenchi was going to get his answers soon.

Hello Tenchi. A smooth voice greeted him. 

Tenchi looked up to see a lithe woman floating ten feet in the air with her slender leg crossed over the other. 

Tenchi smiled. It's been awhile since I last saw you Ryoko. He said taking in a good look of his greatest friend. It seemed over the twenty plus years to have passed she had not aged a day. The only difference about her was that her spiky hair had grown down almost past her back. She looked maturer, much wiser, but that was quickly concealed as she flew down and trapped him in a great hug. 

What you haven't seen my pretty face on wanted posters? Ryoko asked releasing him and holding him at arms length. He looked much older but not as old as twenty years should have changed him. I see you've got the Jurain treatment. So they bounded you with a tree.

Tenchi nodded. I named her Kiyone, after my mother. He remarked. 

Ryoko nodded running her fingers through Tenchi's now long hair. Tenchi, I hate to cut this tender moment short but I need your help. Ryoko said. 

Tenchi asked. 

Yeah, I sorta lost something. 

~*~

Ayeka hummed to herself as she walked through a small clearing of wildflowers. She loved her like trips to Earth. She took a moment to pause and take in the lovely sights when something bumped into her leg knocking her down onto her rear.

Oops sorry mommy. A small sincere voice said. I was running to catch up to you forgot to slow down. 

Ayeka stood onto her feet then looked down onto the small boy who had collided into her. He stood to almost two feet high his head passing just above her knees. His messy blond bangs fell over his forehead shielding his eyes. The rest of his willful hair was held back into a limp ponytail with a dark red bow. 

Do I look like your mother? Ayeka asked the small boy.

He shook his blond head vigorously from side to side. From your knees down you do. He replied looking Ayeka up and down. No, my mommy's legs are longer than yours. He said looking around and scratching his arm. Ayeka strained herself to force a grin. And she's prettier than you are too. He added.

It's not right to yell at a child, no matter how annoying they may be. Ayeka muttered beneath her breath to herself. What is your name? Ayeka asked the little boy who at the time had wondered away from her and was picking some wild flowers. 

Mommy will like these. He said in spite of the question.

Your name little boy? She asked again making her voice a bit firmer.

My name is Nabeshin.

Ayekas face twisted at the sound of his name. 

Nabeshin folded his arms over his chest. Yeah Nabeshin, wanna make something of it? He asked. 

It is just an abnormal name. Ayeka said kindly. 

My mommy knew a great guy who help her and daddy once and promised to name me after him. Nabeshin stated. 

Ayeka sighed as she looked him over. His dark blue boy's kimono and the slacks he wore beneath looked expensive; he was no doubt from a rich family. But what was he doing wondering around the shrine? This isn't a place for little boys to wonder around. She said calmly. Come with me and Ill help you look around for your parents. Ayeka said walking back towards the steps and the stony path. Nabeshin merely shrugged following after the purple haired woman.

Ayeka had stepped down from the last step to come face to face to her husband. He smiled. Look who I've found. He said motioning to Ryoko. 

Ayeka practically leapt onto Ryoko giving her a warm hug. I have missed you so Miss Ryoko. Ayeka informed releasing her. She then recalled Nabeshin behind her. I have found someone as well. She said turning around to see Ryoko was looking down on Nabeshin.

Ryoko frowned placing her fist on her hips. I thought I told you to wait for me by the shrine and not to wonder off. Ryoko said looking down at the little boy with a stern look on her face.

Nabeshin lowered his head. He said. 

Your father would have a fit if you got lost while I was watching you again. Ryoko went on.

Ayeka smiled. Ryoko the babysitter, how nice. She whispered to Tenchi. I feel sorry for the kid.

Nabeshin pulled the flowers from behind his back. I pick these for you mommy. He said with sincerity.

Everyones face turned pale and almost into stone with complete and utter shock 

The stern and upset look on Ryoko's face lifted into a touched smile. They're beautiful Nabe. But dont ever wonder off alone on me again. Everyone looked back and forth between the mother and son. One could see the cat-like amber eye gleaming with impishly from underneath the unruly bangs. And when he smiled at his mother it was easy to see the pair of fangs, much like his mother's, that were visible every time he spoke or smiled. 

But I wasn't alone; I had Mugosha to protect me. Nabeshin reached into his pocket removing a tubby hamster-like creature with tiny black batwings on its shoulders smaller than its body. See Mugo wouldn't let anything happen to me.

Ayeka peered down on the alien animal that managed to fit into the palm of the little body's hand. She chuckled lightly as she pointed down on the thing he called Mugo. How is this little creature suppose to protect you? She asked placing her hand to her lips concealing her giggles. 

Nabeshin frowned. Mugo doesn't like it when people point at him. He warned. But too late, the small gray animal pounced from Nabeshin's cupped palm onto the ground. When it touched foot on the ground it instantly grew into seven-foot monster with large sharp fanged teeth dripping with saliva and claws. 

Ayeka couldn't manage to release the scream that had found it's way into her throat. It seemed as if it wouldn't come out in fear of the winged animal before it. 

I told you so. Nabeshin said petting large creature on the leg. Now you have to say sorry Mugo' or hell never calm down. He said. 

Tenchi, frozen in his place, swallowed the lump that was in his throat. Ayeka I think you had better do as Nabeshin says.

I-I'm s-s-so-so-orry Mug-mug-mugo. Ayeka stammered. 

With a pleased ka-chut' Mugosha reverted back into its small size then jumped back into Nabeshin's pocket.

Did you find daddy yet? Nabeshin asked undaunted by the scene. 

Hotsuma's down at the house. Another new voice added.

Auntie Sasami! Nabeshin shouted jumping into the teenager's arms. 

Ryoko smiled at seeing the aged blue haired and pink-eyed girl. You're looking very mature. It seems as if youve grown since my last visit. She commented knowing Sasami didn't like being told she was starting to look like Tsunami though she looked remarkably like the goddess. And you too Ryo-ohki. Ryoko said looking to the nine-year-old human form of the cabbit. Ryo-ohki mayied giving Ryoko a tender hug before going to greet Nabeshin.

But Ryoko your last visit here was just three months ago. Sasami said.

Wait one minute! Tenchi shouted. Ryoko has a son by Hotsuma-

My husband. Ryoko added.

Who she married and you never told us? He asked Sasami.

Sasami's face dropped into a slight disappointed pout. I could have sworn I did Tenchi, maybe you've been too busy to notice any of the letters that we send you. 

Ryoko smirked as Tenchi and Ayeka stammered pointless excuses of the important jobs they had to do. Washu's rubbing off on you kiddo. She said walking towards the house. _Yep and so is Tsunami, she has that cocky goddess attitude going for her._

~*~

When they made it into the house they found the gray haired Noboyuki with a party hat on his head talking happily with Mihoshi. Kiyone and the seemingly the same Katsuhito sat with Hotsuma discussing something or another of galactic politics. 

Welcome to the party! Washu shouted blowing on a noisemaker and throwing confetti. 

Nabeshin leap from Sasami's arms shouting at the top of his voice. 

Washu's cute expression fluctuated as her emerald eyes drifted towards Ryoko. You told him to do that didn't you? She asked through gritted teeth.

Ryoko smiled and nodded. Think of it as pay back for all the times you embarrassed me, forced me to call you mom when I didnt want to, and for the _little_ Ryoko thing. Ryoko smiled. 

I thought when you made me go to your wedding as an adult was pay back. Washu said. She of course would not let her daughter win their little spat of a tit for tat. Well since you want to play it that way, I'm going back on that promise I made to you all of those years ago. Washu said. 

Ryoko's eye grew as her lips quivered giving her a sad puppy dog expression. Mommy you would do that to your dear sweet loving daughter. Please? Ryoko begged holding her clasped hands before her in a plea. 

Washu snickered as she took Nabeshin by the hand. Nabe, would you like to see some pictures of your mommy a looong time ago? Washu asked leading her grandson away from the group. You too Hotsuma.

The plea in Ryoko's eyes fell away. Hey! MOM! She growled quickly walking into the house. 

Tenchi and Ayeka chuckled to one another. As much as I'd hate to say this I have missed their antics. Ayeka admitted to her husband. 

Tenchi wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. So have I, Ayeka, so have I. 

Sasami walked forward leaving the two at the door. I suggest you two come in. I think Washu has some pictures of the twenty years you've missed out on. She smirked looking over her shoulder. Ryo-ohki mayied her consent. Yes, this is a party after all. Let's have some fun!

~*~

By the end of the night everyone sat in the living room sipping from a glass filled with their chosen drink. Hotsuma looked on and listened along with everyone else as Ryoko gently rubbed the sleeping Nabeshin's back as she hummed him a lullaby in a foreign language he had heard before and was now struggling to remember. 

That sounds nice Ryoko, what are you singing? Tenchi asked. 

Ryoko smiled with her left fang pressing down on her bottom lip. A drinking sound I heard somewhere. 

A collective groan sounded throughout the circle of friends...no family. Ryoko you will never change. Came the light-hearted reply of Tenchi.

Forever the same space pirate. Ayeka added. 

You're still a space pirate? Are we going to arrest her Kiyone? Mihoshi asked. 

Kiyone laughed. No, we're on vacation so whatever Ryoko did we're not allowed to arrest her.

Hotsuma smirked as his mind finally translated the song, it wasn't a drinking song as Ryoko had stated but a lovely song she had heard on a CD while on there many visits on earth.

A thousand years, a thousand more  
A thousand times a million doors to eternity  
I may have lived a thousand lives, a thousand times  
An endless turning stairway climbs  
To a tower of souls  
If it takes another thousand years, a thousand wars,  
The towers rise to numberless floors in space  
I could shed another million tears, a million breaths,  
A million names but only one truth to face

A million roads, a million fears  
A million suns, ten million years of uncertainty  
I could speak a million lies, a million songs,  
A million rights, a million wrongs in this balance of time  
But if there was a single truth, a single light  
A single thought, a singular touch of grace  
Then following this single point, this single flame,  
This single haunted memory of your face.

Nabeshin had long since fallen asleep curled contently in his mother's lap. But still Ryoko continued to sing the beautifully haunting song. Her golden eyes looked lovingly onto Hotsuma as she sang the chorus to him.

I still love you  
I still want you  
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves  
Like galaxies in my head

I may be numberless, I may be innocent  
I may know many things, I may be ignorant  
Or I could ride with kings and conquer many lands  
Or win this world at cards and let it slip my hands  
I could be cannon food, destroyed a thousand times  
Reborn as fortune's child to judge another's crimes  
Or wear this pilgrim's cloak, or be a common thief  
I've kept this single faith, I have but one belief.

Hotsuma moved to sit beside his small family of demons and pirates. He couldn't be prouder of his mischievous son whom seems to have inherited his lovely wife's spirit. Hotsuma ran his hand over his son's brow watching as he moved in his sleep as if to swat away an annoying insect. His smiled onto Ryoko before kissing her tenderly and quickly on her soft singing lips. Ryoko smiled as Hotsuma joined her with the chorus.

And I still love you  
I still want you  
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves  
Like galaxies in my head

On and on the mysteries unwind themselves  
Eternities still unsaid  
'Til you love me.

~The merry End~

The song used in this fic does not belong to me. A Thousand Years is the property of the wonderful STING! Gotta love that CD!

Okay I hate to beg but I need for someone to take a look at some of my originals. I need to know what others think of it and how I might be able to make them better. Love yas much! ~Demoness Space Pirate!


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